Chevron's Legacy of Contamination

2014 Study Confirming that Chevron Caused "Widespread" Pollution and Health Problems in Ecuador

The report by the Louis Berger Group, a consultancy that has worked for several U.S. government agencies, found that Chevron caused "widespread" toxic contamination to indigenous ancestral lands in Ecuador's rainforest that persists to this day and also that Chevron engaged in an elaborate cover-up to hide the information from the Ecuador court during the Lago Agrio trial

Executive Summary | Redacted Report | Appendices and accompanying opinions can also be found at the bottom of the page here.

More:

• Studies Documenting High Cancer Rates Where Chevron Operated In Ecuador
• Summary of the Overwhelming Evidence of Chevron's Toxic Dumping and Fraud In Ecuador

Trial and Victory in Ecuador

On February 14th, 2011, a court in Lago Agrio, Ecuador ruled in favor of the residents of the Amazonian rainforest who have spent decades trying to force Chevron to clean up its deadly mess. Below are some essential documents for understanding this decision and and its reaffirmation on appeal.

 

Judgement Issued on January 3rd, 2012 by the Appellate Panel in Ecuador Confirming the Aguinda v. ChevronTexaco Decision and Subsequent Clarification Ruling

Appeals Court Decision (Spanish) | Appeals Court Decision (English) | Clarification Ruling (Spanish) | Clarification Ruling (English)

Judgment Issued on February 14, 2011 by the Ecuadorian Superior Court of Nueva Loja, Aguinda v. ChevronTexaco, No.2003-0002, Ruling in Favor of the Ecuadorians

Superior Court Decision (Spanish) | Superior Court Decision (English)

Summary of Judgment and Order of Superior Court of Nueva Loja, Aguinda v. ChevronTexaco, No. 2003-0002, February 14, 2011 and Excerpts from Judgment and Order of Superior Court of Nueva Loja

Summary document prepared by plaintiffs' U.S. counsel detailing judicial order finding Chevron liable for environmental contamination from the oil extraction operations of Chevron's predecessor company, Texaco, and ordering the company to pay damages of approximately $9.5 billion, with potential punitive damages of an additional $9.5 billion.

Download in PDF format

Plaintiffs' Alegato Final (Final Argument) in Environmental Disaster Litigation Against Chevron, January 18, 2011

Part One is a summary of the final argument that Aguinda plaintiffs offered to provide background information on the overwhelming amount of scientific evidence filed on the record during trial. Part Two provides background information on the arguments for appropriate damages stemming from Chevron's oil extraction operations in Ecuador.

Download Part One in PDF format | Download Part Two in PDF format

Collecting the Judgement in Canada

• Unanimous Canada Supreme Court Decision Allowing Lawsuit to Seize Chevron Assets
• Ontario Court of Appeal 2013 Decision on Jurisdiction
• Ontario Court of Appeal 2017 Decision on Cost Injunction

Chevron's Retaliatory Attacks

• Chevron’s SLAPP suit against Ecuadorians: corporate intimidation (Greenpeace blog post) - May 11, 2018
• Chevron Accused of $2 Million Witness Bribery Plot in Ecuador Pollution Case (AlterNet) - January 31, 2018

• Chevron's Amazon Chernobyl Case moves to Canada (Greenpeace blog post) - September 15, 2017

• Chevron’s Payments to RICO Witness Are Not Just Ugly—They’re Criminal (HuffPost News) - June 2, 2017

• Chevron’s RICO Fraud: An Abuse of Indigenous Peoples, the Environment, and U.S. Courts - May 2017

• Chevron's Star Witness Admits to Lying in the Amazon Pollution Case (VICE News) - October 26, 2015

• Ecuador’s Battle for Environmental Justice Against Chevron (The Nation) - June 2, 2015

• Chevron’s “Amazon Chernobyl” in Ecuador: The Real Irrefutable Truths About the Company’s Toxic Dumping and Fraud (HuffPost) - May 27, 2015

• Sludge Match: Inside Chevron's $9 Billion Legal Battle With Ecuadorean Villagers (Rolling Stone)  - August 28, 2014

• The Unnecessary Truth: Reflections on What Wasn't Told in the Chevron Ecuador RICO Case (EarthRights International) - April 15, 2014

The Chevron Pit Blog

posts from the team working to hold Chevron accountable for its human rights and environmental abuses in Ecuador

You can view older posts and more on the Chevron Pit website.