Protesters were scheduled to kick off the monthly Days of Action rallies Wednesday night in San Ramon, where the theme of the St. Patrick’s Day protest was “Keep the Amazon Clean and Green,” according to a press release.
Amazon Watch is working with a local group of religious leaders and residents, called San Ramon Valley Cares, which supports the mission to hold ChevronTexaco accountable for waste oil dumped improperly in the rain forest.
Ecuadoreans are suing Chevron in Ecuadorean court and seeking billions in damages to help compensate for the devastation, which Amazon Watch representatives say was caused by Chevron’s waste oil disposal. ChevronTexaco had drilling operations in Ecuador from 1964 until 1992.
In 2003, San Ramon Valley residents traveled to Ecuador to witness firsthand the effects of the pollution. They returned with reports that the waste has taken a large toll on the health of the people and environment.
Chevron has said its operations and disposal procedures met industry standards during its time in Ecuador. The company also paid $40 million for a cleanup completed in 1998, which had been approved by the Ecuadorean government.
For more information on future rallies, contact Leila Salazar, Amazon Watch organizer, at 415-487-9600.
