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When the Exxon Valdez supertanker ran aground in Prince William Sound in 1989, it became the biggest environmental catastrophe in North American history. Afterward, Exxon launched a massive cleanup of the area. But as time went on it was clear that cleaning up the mess was not so simple.
Black Wave: The Legacy of Exxon Valdez, directed by Robert Cornellier, follows Rick Ott and the fisherman of Cordova, Alaska as they wage the longest legal battle in U.S. history against Exxon, and as they try to rebuild their lives after such a massive crisis.
The Exxon Valdez wreck dumped millions of gallons of crude oil into the Sound it left the formerly pristine environment and the animals covered in black oil. Shocking photos surfaced of animals on the beaches covered in oil. But despite the massive cleanup attempts, and a huge public relations campaign, the environment, its animals, and the people living there are still affected. The animals still eat contaminated food. Some species, like the herring, may never recover. This has led not just to a decline in species but to an economic crisis for the fishermen too.
Black Wave: The Legacy of Exxon Valdez on Planet Green.
Big River Man premieres on Planet Green on December 5, 2009 at 8pm ET
Check the Planet Green Schedule for airtimes and other Reel Impact documentaries.
More on oil and pollution
Green Glossary: Oil Slick
9 Ways to Save the Ocean and Ourselves
Exxon Valdez Remembrance Day
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