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Hi Jeffery,



This is a fine article and thank you for covering this travesty, which occurs on a large scale and is largely hidden from the public view.



I would gladly forego charging oil executives and corrupt government leaders with criminal charges -- if doing so would drop opposition within those quarters to the actual cleanup and remediation of contaminated land and waterways, once a spill has occurred.



Many hundreds of cleanup operations are not being executed on account of pending lawsuits and criminal charges.



(When a prosecutor can stand up in court and say "XYZ oil company MUST be guilty of criminal behavior because the proof of that which I have right here in my hand is the 90-million-dollar itemized cleanup bill.")



From my point of view, when a spill occurs (whether caused by negligence, act of nature, terrorism, or anything else) if the oil company comes forward right away, issues a press release, informs the relevant government authorities, and begins work on cleanup and remediation right away -- this should qualify that company and it's executives from any criminal lawsuits regarding that particular spill. Period, end.



Yes, it's that important.



For companies who do not want to initiate the above-noted proper response to a spill, then let the full force of the law be applied. If that means a 20-billion-dollar fine to cover the costs of third-party cleanup efforts AND prison time for oil executives, that is just fine with me. I'd say they are 'getting off light' with that sort of meagre punishment.



But for oil executives who duly report and properly respond to oil spills -- full immunity from criminal prosecution.



That is what it is going to take to ensure proper cleanup of inevitable oil spills to come and the present-day oil spills which are still pouring oil today, into lakes and rivers and valuable lands.



Thank you for the opportunity to comment, Jeffery.



Cheers, JBS

http://jbsnews.com











