the Voice of
The Communist League of Revolutionary Workers–Internationalist
“The emancipation of the working class will only be achieved by the working class itself.”
— Karl Marx
the Voice of
The Communist League of Revolutionary Workers–Internationalist
“The emancipation of the working class will only be achieved by the working class itself.”
— Karl Marx
Dec 2, 2024
The U.S. Department of Justice has announced that it is filing charges against the oil company Phillips 66 for dumping hundreds of thousands of gallons of oil and grease into L.A. County’s sewer system.
Four years ago, Phillips 66 was caught dumping more than 300 times the legal limit for such hazardous discharge. And yet, even if the company is convicted, the most penalty it faces is probation and 2.4 million dollars in fines—peanuts for a company that made 7.24 billion dollars of profit in 2023 alone.
And this is not the first time the company’s twin refineries near the Los Angeles harbor are making the news for the pollution they cause. For years, residents in surrounding communities have been complaining about soot, harsh odors and fires that released large amounts of thick smoke and toxic chemicals into the air. But authorities allowed this 100-year-old facility to continue to operate at high capacity—producing as much as 8% of California’s gasoline, and huge profits for Phillips 66 and the facility’s previous owners.
In the meantime, Phillips 66 has announced that it has slated this refinery complex for closure by next year, opening up 650 acres of “prime property” for real estate development—and extra profits for Phillips 66 and developers.
By regulation, the company has to clean the land before it is used for other purposes. But given the track record of Phillips 66, and how government regulators have been letting it get away with pollution, who knows how much clean-up will get done.