Exxon Mobil Should Pay Up

Today, after 19 years, the Exxon Valdez spill has reached the Supreme Court.

The company paid the $287 million in compensatory damages long ago.

At issue here is the $2.5 billion in punitive damages to nearly 33,000 commercial fishermen, Native Alaskans, landowners, businesses and local governments.

Originally, the punitive damages were $5 billion, but a federal appeals court cut it in half.

I think that Exxon should just pay it because, if they win the case, they will lose more in bad publicity then they save.

For Exxon, the $2.5 billion is only equal to 3 weeks of 2006 profits, but is a lot for the fishermen who have already waited 19 years.