Oil Spill in Brooklyn (57 Years Ago)

The Exxon Valdez was no tragedy compared to what’s happened in Brooklyn. Instead of poor baby seals covered in a slick of oil, you should expect to see greasy hipsters suffering in Greenpoint, thanks to Exxon Mobil. The company is feeling continued pressure to expand its cleanup of [oil that’s seeped into the soil there over many decades]. The New York State Attorney General’s office is threatening legal action, and the past year has brought two suits seeking billions of dollars in alleged damage to property values and possible health risks. In the 1800s, more than 50 refineries existed in the neighborhood, and then there was a huge sewage explosion in 1950. In 1978, the site was deemed an environmental hazard. Rent is fairly steep to live in such a wasteland.

Photo courtesy of [Penningtron on Flickr]