A $6 billion class-action pollution trial against San Ramon-based Chevron Corp. (CVX) sped up this week when an Ecuadorian judge eliminated most of the remaining judicial inspections in a move to speed the case toward a final resolution.
Chevron is accused of dumping more than 18 billion gallons of toxic waste into Ecuador’s rain forest, containing 30 times more oil than the Exxon Valdez spill.
The suit asserts the dumping threatens five indigenous groups and has produced cancers and oil-related health problems. Clean-up is estimated at $6.1 billion. Proof in the lawsuit, the first by rain forest residents against a U.S. oil company, is based largely on field inspections of Chevron well-sites where scientists take water and soil samples to determine the presence of toxic contamination.
All of the 42 inspected locations produced samples of toxic contamination. Chevron motioned to conduct 64 additional inspections, which, if accepted, would have added at least three years to the trial, the environmental group Amazon Watch said in a release.
Chevron shares are up 19 cents, or 0.3 percent, at $66.92.
