Councilman Eric Gioia is criticizing ExxonMobil after the company declined to send a representative to a City Council hearing they had been invited to attend regarding the Newton Creek oil spill cleanup in his Queens district.
"ExxonMobil's utter and complete disregard for the community is appalling. To not appear, to refuse to show their face and answer questions, further proves that theirs is a strategy of obstruction and delay," Mr. Gioia said yesterday in a statement.
In February, Attorney General Andrew Cuomo announced a lawsuit to force the company to clean up the spill, which originated from their refineries, faster. Mr. Gioia signed on to a similar lawsuit over a spill in 2004.
A spokesperson for ExxonMobil said the company "felt it was inappropriate to be present at the hearing" given Council members' participation in the litigation.
