It is hard to believe, but Exxon-Mobil, the most profitable corporation in America and the world at large, has committed an oil spill of at least 1,000 barrels of oil in the pristine wilderness of the Yellowstone River in Montana!
Already, there are indications that the corporation is reacting slowly, and with old technology, to the job of limiting the environmental damage!
But Democratic Governor Brian Schweitzer, one of the leading Democratic governors with ambitions to move beyond the Governorship in the future, has indicated he will have his hands on the throats of Exxon Mobil management until the cleanup is resolved to the satisfaction of the state of Montana and its citizens! However, he still seems willing, at the same time, to support a project of a pipeline of Trans Canada Corporation, which supposedly could not have the same type of tragedy occur, according to that company’s executives! It makes one wonder whether Schweitzer can be believed in his sincerity on this issue with Exxon Mobil!
Hopefully, this is not just rhetoric, and Exxon Mobil will be expected to restore the environment as much as possible, at a total cost to them, and not to the state’s citizens! But many will have doubts about the Trans Canada corporation plans!
This just reminds us again of the reality that this nation MUST find a way to get off oil dependency for the long term environmental, energy and economic future of America in the 21st century!