Exxon's CoverUp

My name is Capt Richard D. Nagel and I worked the largest oil spill in this hemisphere for three years in a row beginning in 1989, continuing through 1990 and 1991.  I was a licensed Master Captain (still am) and also I worked as an advisor.  Plus I was on the Prince William Sound Advisory Committee for several years and oversaw arrivals and departures of tankers in Prince William Sound.

What I am about to tell you is of my own free will, it is all true and I assume full responsibility and no one else shall be held accountable in any way whatsoever.  This is not fiction, even though at times it might sound like it, I assure you it's all true.

Beginning in 1989 (the year of the spill) I worked half a dozen or so different vessels through out Prince William Sound from Valdez to Cordova to Whittier.  Most of what I did in 89 was support, but also I understood that Exxon had begun spraying test sites on Knight Island with Inipol EAP 22 and Corexit to see the effects on oily beaches and to see if indeed spraying chemicals would be more effective than the hot water spraying that was going on everywhere in the summer of 89.

One question that puzzles me is:  did Exxon take into consideration the effects on the people that would be working with these chemicals?  Did they have a long or even short term health monitoring system in operation to treat exposed workers?  The answer is a flat "NO"  There was more concern for the wild life habitat than that of humans working with untested chemicals. *  Please do not take me in the wrong context for I am a very firm believer in all animal and environmental issues, I would not have worked the oilspill for three years in a row if I did not believe that I could make a difference.

In the Spring of 1990 I joined several survey teams in Prince William Sound to see the effects of what the Winter storms had on the oily beaches.  It was my conclusion that the Winter storms did more of a cleanup than all the hot water spraying in the late summer of 1989 did, believe me, I feel that Mother Nature takes care of her own quite well, of course as I have stated before that's my own assessment.  In May of 1990 I slipped on some oily rocks and shattered my right knee and was side lined from the oilspill cleanup, but not for long.  In June I returned to Prince William Sound with a leg brace and continued working the oilspill on board the Landing Craft Pegasus *  * as a pilot.  The Pegasus had a very large tank of Inipol 22 on her deck, just how many gallons I don't recall.

But let's back up for a second.  During the surveys and shortly thereafter there was a berthing vessel in Bay of Isles, Knight Island called the M/V Columbia. *  What's interesting about this is the M/V Columbia had her own fresh water salization system.  This is all fine and dandy, except for one thing, just a stone's throw away from where the M/V Columbia was anchored Exxon was spraying Inipol 22 all over the beaches, which at high tide went into the water and eventually into the water system of the M/V Columbia.  Now my question is does a salization system filter out chemicals?  I think not.

At any rate on board the Pegasus as I stated before we had a very large tank of Inipol 22 that we used to supply beach workers:  they had back packs full of Inipol 22 that they used to spray beaches, we also supplied pontoon * * vessels with Inipol 22.  Exxon's main objective in 1990 was to spray chemicals all over Prince William Sound and the Kenai Peninsula, and this we all did.

The important thing to note here is that Exxon never trained anyone, well at least not anyone directly associated with the transporting or spraying of Inipol 22.  We were told by Exxon that Inipol 22 was as safe as  honey on toast which is why once the transferring and spraying started there were no Exxon supervisors to be found anywhere.  Now on this web site there're  photos of beach workers spraying beaches; no real protection is being used, why?  Because none was issued.

... and more ... this is a 'preview' version

immune

Starting in early 1993 I started getting sick.  Seems like every time there was a flu going around I always got it and it stayed with me longer than anyone else.   ...

Some health issues for Richard

http://www.valdezlink.com/evos/capt_richard.htm

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It's been a lot of years since the spill and my health has gotten worse and worse;  I once weighed a robust 260 lbs at the beginning of the spill, today a mere 172 lbs and still losing.

First stomach cancer ... & here're my problems now:  I have hypocalcemia, (& hymolytic anemia)   *  , Hepatitis C, seizures, severe pain in my back and right leg, hot flashes, night sweats, severe depression, acute anxiety, loss of balance, blurred vision, no appetite, calcium breakdown, memory loss and severe migraine headaches, weight loss and more

So why am I writing all this?  I want everyone that worked the oilspill or even if you didn't but you know someone who did... to stand up and be heard. 

Above received 11-8-03

He would like to receive mail.

c/o

More info Inipol EAP 22 is like -  Corexit is like

Personal Protective Equipment?  Also

Other Exposures Shared by the Public to Various Chemical Exposures

And these, too - 2-butoxyethanol & some others

Please pray for all who are exposed to 2-butoxyethanol

These chemicals were not only unsafe in this setting, where no appropriate protective gear could be, or would ever be, provided; but they are unsafe in products you and your loved ones use, too.  They should be BANNED by the US Legislature! -'Mother Margaret'