Oil company cheerleader Jason Rapert, the senator for the Mayflower oil spill zone, helped get out the ExxonMobil public relations message today by tweeting news of the oil company's report a month after a ruptured pipeline spewed Canadian tar sand crude on a Mayflower neighborhood.
Exxon is sorry, of course, but upbeat about the cleanup and cooperation of all involved. Photo coverage includes a cleaned turtle being released to its native environment. An Exxon exec comments:
More than that, I am grateful for the patience and understanding displayed by the wonderful people of Mayflower. Quite frankly, I have been overwhelmed by the generosity of the local community — the welcome they have shown us — in light of the circumstances. I speak for everyone working on the cleanup in saying we won’t be satisfied until we can give them back the beautiful community they know and love
Still awaiting answers on what caused the break; the nature of what's being pumped through the pipe; whether pressure on the pipe flow was excessive; what's the possibility of pollution seeping below ground; what sort of damages Exxon plans to pay to those not "directly impacted" by oil flow; and lots more.
UPDATE: Attorney General Dustin McDaniel held a news conference this afternoon to offer his own progress report. Not so sunny. He faulted the process for making claims for damaged property and advocated Exxon purchase of all property at pre-spill values. He said carcinogens remain present in the air. He said he was making plans for a lawsuit, though stopped short of saying for certain that one would be filed. He says his office will have a task force for those affected and invited calls to an 800 number.