Not One Drop: Betrayal and Courage in the Wake of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill [Paperback]

Riki Ott (Author), John Perkins (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 15, 2008

Betrayed by oilmen’s promises in the 1970s, the people of Prince William Sound, Alaska, awaken on March 14, 1989, to the nation’s largest oil spill. Not One Drop is an extraordinary tale of ordinary lives ripped apart by disaster and of community healing through building relationships of trust. This story offers critical lessons for a society traumatized by political divides and facing the looming catastrophe of global climate change.

Author Riki Ott, a rare combination of commercial salmon “fisherm’am” and PhD marine biologist, describes firsthand the impacts of oil companies’ broken promises when the Exxon Valdez spills most of its cargo and despoils thousands of miles of shore. Ott illustrates in stirring fashion the oil industry’s 20-year trail of pollution and deception that predated the tragic 1989 spill and delves deep into the disruption to the fishing community of Cordova over the following 19 years. In vivid detail, she describes the human trauma coupled inextricably with that of the sound’s wildlife and its long road to recovery.

Ott critically examines shifts in scientific understanding of oil-spill effects on ecosystems and communities, exposes fundamental flaws in governance and the legal system, and contrasts hard won spill-prevention and spill-response measures in the sound to dangerous conditions on the Alaska pipeline. Her human story, varied background, professional training, and activist heart lead readers to the root of the problem: a clash of human rights and corporate power embedded in law and small-town life.

Not One Drop is as much an example of how too many corporate owners and political leaders betray everyday citizens as it is one of the universal struggle to maintain heart, to find the courage to overcome disaster, and to forge a new path from despair to hope.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Ott, a former Prince William Sound fisherman and longtime activist around the Exxon Valdez Alaska oil spill of 1989, pours plenty of passion into this exhaustive account of the financial and psychological toll on the residents of Cordova, the town most affected by the disaster. Her book is a scathing indictment of Exxon's take-no-prisoners legal roadblocks. She enumerates the full horror of the spill's aftermath: the 1989 loss of $50 million in fishery revenue, a botched cleanup effort, the onslaught of oil-company lobbyists and continuing fish habitat degradation. Ott focuses on Cordova's struggle to rebuild a sense of community while coping with personal bankruptcies and failing marriages, and covers the legal skirmishing for compensation for the more than 3,000 fishermen who filed claims, closing with a melancholy coda following the Supreme Court's decision to reduce the original jury award against Exxon from more than $5 billion to about $500 million—devastating news for those whose lives entered a state of turmoil some 19 years ago. Though Ott's narrative is often bogged down with too much detail, she covers an enormous amount of ground with engaging humanity. (Nov.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

“As you read the following pages, allow your heart to break. Imagine Cordova as your home and Prince William Sound as your backyard. When you set the book down, make an absolute, iron-clad commitment to join other men and women who are determined to create a world that future generations will want to inhabit.”--John Perkins, from the Foreword

Publishers Weekly-
Ott, a former Prince William Sound fisherman and longtime activist around the Exxon Valdez Alaska oil spill of 1989, pours plenty of passion into this exhaustive account of the financial and psychological toll on the residents of Cordova, the town most affected by the disaster. Her book is a scathing indictment of Exxon's take-no-prisoners legal roadblocks. She enumerates the full horror of the spill's aftermath: the 1989 loss of $50 million in fishery revenue, a botched cleanup effort, the onslaught of oil-company lobbyists and continuing fish habitat degradation. Ott focuses on Cordova's struggle to rebuild a sense of community while coping with personal bankruptcies and failing marriages, and covers the legal skirmishing for compensation for the more than 3,000 fishermen who filed claims, closing with a melancholy coda following the Supreme Court's decision to reduce the original jury award against Exxon from more than $5 billion to about $500 million--"devastating news" for those "whose lives entered a state of turmoil some 19 years ago." Though Ott's narrative is often bogged down with too much detail, she covers an enormous amount of ground with engaging humanity.

Choice-
Not One Drop is a gripping story of what happened in Cordova, a small fishing village of some 2,500 people, as a result of the 4.11 million gallons of oil spilled from the Exxon Valdez tanker into Prince William Sound on March 14, 1989. Developed from interviews with townspeople, state and federal officials, and politicians, this book describes a classic case of the worst of commercialism versus the best of environmentalism, with the former aided and abetted by those with vested interests. Beginning with a description of marine biologist Ott's idyllic but demanding life in commercial fishing, the four subsequent parts of the work, "Promises," "Betrayal," "Courage," and "New Beginnings," provide a comprehensive inventory of the events that devastated the social fabric of Cordova. The superbly detailed "Timeline" covers the 1968 discovery of oil on the Alaska North Slope up to the June 25, 2008, Supreme Court decision limiting punitive damages from the spill. The book includes color photographs of happy and sad times as well as ones showing oil-slicked waterfowl and humans, many of whom suffered from a respiratory condition known as "Valdez Crud." Detailed listing of supporting notes and excellent index. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All levels of readership.

"Millions of words have been written about the Exxon Valdez spill. It's been my (sometimes dreary and depressing) duty to read most of them. But of all the official reports, learned papers, TV documentaries, newspaper articles and books, this is by far the best. Riki has written her masterpiece. It's not just about an oil spill and about its dire effects on a community of a few thousand fishing families in a remote and beautiful corner of the North Pacific; it's bigger than that. The themes are community values and corporate lies; the endless tussle between truth and falsehood, between good and evil.Surprisingly, Riki's long-awaited book is more cheerful than I expected; she meticulously logs the catastrophe and its aftermath (and hints at the sacrifices in her personal life that all this campaigning entailed), but out of the despair there is hope here--hope that a better-informed, more vigilant and more self-confident public will follow her example and challenge the corporate arrogance that continues to make so many people's lives an avoidable misery, worldwide."--Dr. Jonathan Wills, writer, wildlife guide, and Shetland (Scotland) Councillor

"Riki Ott, a modern day Joan of Arc, was in the right place at the right time to become witness to one of the most egregious crimes against man and nature in modern day history. Riki has proven through her willingness to expose the corporate corruption and cover up of the Exxon Valdez oil spill that she is a courageous, caring, and passionate voice for the people and the planet."--Laura Turner Seydel, Chair of the Captain Planet Foundation and cofounder of Mothers & Others for Clean Air

"Aldo Leopold wrote, 'A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability, and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise.'The tragic Exxon Valdez oil spill is wrong!Riki Ott is the right person--at the right place--at the right time. Her expertise as an author and as a marine toxicologist alerts us to the true cost of our addiction to oil--not just monetary cost, but ecological cost. Democracy and the planet are at stake."--Nina Bradley, Director of the Aldo Leopold Foundation

"Ott is the Erin Brockovitch of the Exxon Valdez oil disaster. In Not One Drop she recounts a riveting tale of loss, intrigue, cover-ups, and courage--and in the process helps us all see why we will be glad to leave behind the age of oil."--Fran Korten, Publisher of YES! Magazine

"Riki Ott takes the debate on fossil fuels to a new level in this compelling book. When will the oil companies wake up to realize that--just as U.S. car companies missed the boat on fuel efficient cars--the ExxonMobils of the world need to diversify the types of energy they offer? Somehow, the people of Cordova, Alaska, knew the truth before the oil executives or the politicians they elected."--David Rockefeller, Jr., Founder, Sailors for the Sea

"Not One Drop unflinchingly documents the full measure of sacrifice made by a few so the rest of us can get our next fix of oil. The price at the pump must now also be measured in shattered communities and our humanity itself. Bravo to Riki Ott for delivering another knockout punch to our petroleum-powered complacency."--Terry Tamminen, Cullman Senior Fellow at the New America Foundation, and former Secretary of the California EPA

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Chelsea Green Publishing (November 15, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1933392584
• ISBN-13: 978-1933392585
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #854,448 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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14 of 16 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Contrary to what ExxonMobil would have you believe the cleanup is still not complete in Prince William Sound. November 13, 2008

By Paul Tognetti TOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

Having read quite a few books focusing on various disasters in this nation during the past century it certainly comes as no surprise to me that nearly two decades after the calamity in Prince William Sound the people of Cordova, Alaska have yet to be made whole. In my reading I consistantly found that the investigation of these events is more often than not perverted by corporate collusion, broken promises, curious judicial rulings and paid off politicians. It seems that the rich and powerful will resort to any means at their disposal to avoid taking responsibility for their greed, negligence and stupidity. "Not One Drop: Betrayal and Courage in the Wake of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill" is the gut-wrenching story of lost livelihoods, broken families, shattered dreams and a spoiled environment. Author Riki Ott visited Cordova just a few short years before the spill, fell in love with the place and decided to make this town her permanent home. Riki had a PhD in marine biology and was a commerical fisherman to boot. As such, she is someone uniquely qualified to tell the sorry story of the Exxon Valdez tragedy. She knew the right questions to ask and was painfully aware of the likely consequences of the massive oil spill. What has happened to the people of Cordova and the surrounding area will more than likely anger and sadden you.

Oddly enough, as the Exxon Valdez set sail with a full load of crude on the evening of March 23, 1989, Riki Ott was addressing a group of Valdez residents on what would happen should a major spill ever occur. As a matter of fact, Riki put it this way to her audience "Gentlemen, it's not if, it's when." It was not more than an hour or two later that the environmental nightmare that would forever change Prince William Sound would begin.... The evidence clearly indicates that Captain Joseph Hazelwood was legally intoxicated when the Exxon Valdez struck Bligh Reef tearing a huge hole in the hull. Official estimates were that more than 11,000,000 gallons of crude leaked into the Sound that night though Riki Ott has reason to believe that the actual amount was closer to 38,000,000 gallons. Response to the disaster from the oil companies was painfully slow and inadequate further exacerbating an already monumental problem. Many of the tools that had been promised by the oil companies to help fight such spills were not available, the victim of reckless and ill-advised cost saving measures by these companies. And it goes without saying that had the Exxon Valdez been a double-hulled tanker the scope of this disaster would have been reduced considerably. The damage done to the environment and to all manner of wildlife was incalculable. Riki Ott saw it all firsthand. Her accounts of the response to this tragedy and the effects on her community are riveting.

In the immediate aftermath, Exxon promised the people of Cordova that they would be made whole. They lied. No one in Cordova could possibly have been prepared for the epic battle for justice that would occur over the next 20 years. Riki Ott was on the scene every step of the way and reports on the tactics employed by the oil companies, state and federal government, the courts and of course the victims. It quickly becomes apparent whose side most of our esteemed government officials are on. Riki Ott also spends a considerable amount of time driving home the point that the oil spill science funded by the oil companies is largely junk science and is not to be trusted. Perhaps one of the most salient points made in "Not One Drop" is that evidence amassed by trauma experts clearly indicates that disasters caused by so-called "acts of God" such as earthquakes, floods and tornadoes affect people much differently in the long run than such man-made disasters as dam failures, oil spills and nuclear accidents. My reading over the years would tend to confirm this. As Riki points out "natural disasters brought people together in crisis, while man-made disasters tore communities apart." Now nearly two decades later the people of Cordova struggle mightily to put their lives and their community back together again.

In my view "Not One Drop: Betrayal and Courage In The Wake of the Exxon Valdez Spill" is an exceptionally well written and extremely important book. The author has been an eyewitness to all of these events over the years and as such brings a totally unique perspective in reporting on these enduring issues. The litigation goes on. Sadly, some 19 years later more than 6000 of the original litigants in the Exxon Valdez case have passed on. Contrary to what Exxon will tell you Prince William Sound still has not recovered. The herring have never returned. Events have proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that procrastination and endless legal maneuvering by Exxon did pay off for them. I guess it was ever thus. If you ever wondered about the aftermath of the Exxon Valdez oil spill then "Not One Drop" is the book you want to read. And where did Riki Ott come up with the title for her book? Alaska Senator Ted Stevens once promised the concerned citizens of Cordova that "Not One Drop" of oil would ever pollute Prince William Sound. Nuff said? Highly recommended! Read more ›

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Drill Baby Drill, Not November 7, 2008

By Mary E. Sibley VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

The Exxon-Valdez oil spill impacted, among other places, Cordova, Alaska, located on the Prince william Sound. Disasters, Katrina, Chernobyl, Exxon-Valdez cause loss of life and environmental degradation. Damage to social networks is also involved.

Cordova is a small fishing community. The author's father had been among the last students of Aldo Leopold. Following the acquisition of a Ph.D. in marine biology toxicology, the author went partners in a fishing boat in Alaska. Fishermen swap stories, (there are a lot of perfect storms in Alaska). Watching wildlife is a fringe benefit of fishing.

On the AMBERGRIS, the author's boat, neither partner was skipper, they didn't know enough. The second four months of their first fishing season was successful for the author, Riki Ott, and her partner. Riki got to meet other women at the Fishermen's Cooperative barbecue.

The largest oil discovery in North America took place at Prudhoe Bay. Valdez is the terminal of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline. Ted Stevens claimed to the fishermen that not one drop of oil would touch the waters of Prince William Sound. Valdez, like Cordova, is situated on the sound.

On March 24, 1989, the Exxon-Valdez tanker was grounded off Bligh Reef. Four point five million gallons of oil gushed from the tanker. Oil was two feet higher than the surrounding sea.

Trauma memory trumps other memory. A storm a few days after the grounding on the Bligh Reef pushed oil through the Prince William Sound. (The response plan proved inadequate to the size of the disaster.)

One-third of the fishing fleet worked on the clean-up, but not Riki Ott and her partner. Discussions of whether or not to accept Exxon money eroded social solidarity.... Other employers couldn't compete with Exxon's wages. Social chaos outlasted the clean-up. Beaches and workers were damaged in the clean-up. Two-thirds of the frontline crew had respiratory complaints.

In the aftermath of the spill, Exxon sought to reduce corporate liability. Thousands of fishermen filed claims. Post-spill, the oil lobby was a heavy presence in Juneau. The author was ordered to supply the head of the legislative committee knowledge of the science involved to penetrate the double-talk. She had failed to comprehend the brutality of oil politics and on the first day of the hearings had not helped the chairperson sufficiently to enable him to be effective. Lobbyists accused Riki Ott of bringing in the facts!

Damage to wildlife was kept secret by means of a federal gag order, (to enable settlement talks to proceed). In the information vacuum, Exxon launched a public relations offensive. Questions went unanswered for three additional years until the scientific findings of spill results became public. The Coast Guard promised to continue the beach clean-up in 1991.

The 1991 salmon fishing season was ruinous. In 1992 very few salmon arrived at the inlet. Four years after the spill, oil was still present on the beaches. In 1993 wild and hatchery salmon were scarce. Bruce Babbitt, Secretary of the Interior, and others supported ecological studies to determine the cause of a dead zone in the Prince William Sound. Twenty-five percent of domestic oil goes through the Alaska pipeline every day.

Five years after the spill only half of the herring had returned to Prince William Sound. The two following years were not good for herring, either. By 1996 some community cohesion had been restored to Cordova. Also, it was a good year for salmon fishing.

Jailed in Texas for attempting to distribute letters to Exxon shareholders, the author was led to feel that Exxon provided wealth for the few at the cost of poverty for many and for plundering the planet. It seems that people and animals were sickened both by the spill and by the clean-up.

The book is riveting. Read more ›

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Great info, great story, minor narrative flaws December 1, 2008

By Sterghe VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

Fresh out of graduate school, a young Riki Ott sought respite from academia by joining a salmon-fishing crew in Alaska. "Hooked" on the joy and excitement of the salmon runs, she bought a boat with a partner and settled in to build a life for herself as a fisherwoman in Prince William Sound. Making an effort to become part of her new community, she attended a few local political meetings. When the old-timers raised concerns about Alyeska's oil-producing activities, Riki's academic background resurfaced: "Maybe I can help there ... I have a master's in oil pollution and a doctorate in sediment pollution." Her stunned neighbors promptly voted her onto their organization's board, passed her a towering stack of papers, and--in the case of the now-former lead person on the Alyeska issues--made plans to go moose hunting.

Two years later came news headlines about the Exxon-Valdez spill in Prince William Sound, and Riki was right in the middle of the chaos of an entire community's shattered lives. Not One Drop chronicles how, over the next two decades, she and others fought to restore to the families of the small fishing community all that had been stolen when a tanker crashed and broken promises spilled across human lives as thickly as oil coated once-pristine beaches. Riki's firsthand account ranges from makeshift office space to Congressional offices in Washington, DC, from the sweeping wilds of Alaska's remote spaces to the crowded pen of her Dallas prison cell. Everpresent are the friends and neighbors struggling to regain their footing in Cordova, Alaska....

While Riki's uniquely well-informed perspective allows her to tell the story of this accident in a way that sheds light on corporate power-plays and profit-seeking platitudes, her narrative occasionally bogs down in the very literary device that at first seems to make the science and politics truly accessible to a lay reader. Much of her story is told, not directly to the reader, but to her best friend--who asks for clarification and simplification frequently enough that the reader can't possibly get lost in the details. This device can be very effective, but the effect in Not One Drop reminded me a bit of the cheesy management-advice books that rely on questioning characters who find unexpected mentors in trains, airplanes, and amusement parks. The information is great, but the characters feel forced. I'd have preferred that Riki Ott simply continue her narrative as it began, telling her story without the artificial intermediaries of townspeople who ask her to simplify science that's already been adequately explained.

Despite that flaw, I found this book enlightening and informative, an enjoyable read well worth my time. I'd recommend it to anyone who cares about any community or natural space touched by any megacorporations, as the lessons Riki learned in Alaska seem likely to transfer all too well to the site of the next human-made disaster. Perhaps, if enough people read Cordova's story and others like it, that next disaster can be prevented before it destroys a community and an ecosystem.

(Review from the "mother" half of our mother-daughter book review team) Read more ›