Conoco unit pleads guilty to hiding Alaska spill

[UpInArms]

Source: Reuters

ANCHORAGE, Alaska, Oct 24 (Reuters) - A shipping company owned by ConocoPhillips' (COP.N: Quote, Profile, Research) pleaded guilty to concealing a 2004 oil spill in the ocean off Alaska and was ordered to pay $2.5 million for the offense, officials said.

Polar Tankers Inc. entered its guilty plea in U.S. District Court on Tuesday and was ordered to pay a $500,000 fine and a $2 million community-service payment to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the U.S. Attorney's office said.

Federal officials said the 895-foot tanker Polar Discovery spilled oil sludge in the open ocean in January 2004 and attempted to conceal the incident by turning into the wind to clean the sludge from the vessel's side.

"Not only did they not put it in the record book, but they took action to cover it up," said Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Loeffler.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/bondsNews/idUSN2453672420071024

[zonkers]

1. Total fuckers. If this was China, these fuckers would be executed.

[spotbird]

2. Is sounds like they did the right thing

cost-wise. That fine was a small fraction of what clean-up would have been.

[Indenturedebtor]

3. 2.5 million? THAT'S IT??!?!?!?!

Well I'm sure they won't do that again. Man that's like fining me 20 cents for speeding. Disgusting.