Exxon Explains

Contrary to the claim in your editorial (“Short-Change Artists,” July 26), Exxon is not seeking to “just walk away” from the Alaskan oil spill cleanup.

At the May 18 Exxon Corporation annual shareholders meeting, Exxon Chairman L.G. Rawl said: “Our objective is to complete the job by mid-September, and milestones have been established to measure our progress. In any event, we will return to the area in the spring of 1990 to reinspect the area, to assure that the job has been properly done, and if not, to put it right.”

There is no more compelling evidence of Exxon’s commitment to mitigating the spill’s effects than the unprecedented mobilization of people and equipment this summer, the huge array of resources this company has brought to bear, and the solid progress made to date. Indeed, treatment of all the impacted shorelines by Sept. 15 will go a long way toward mitigating the environmental impacts of the spill.

Even so, a number of significant activities will continue through the winter months, coordinated and supported by some 300 Exxon and contract personnel headquartered in Anchorage.

The scope and nature of operations that will resume in the spring will depend in great measure on input from scientific experts and government agencies. Ultimately, the Coast Guard will consider that input and decide what additional cleanup is required, with Exxon’s involvement.

W. D. STEVENS, President, Exxon