An Ecuadorean judge ruled Monday that Chevron Corp. was responsible for oil contamination in a wide swath of Ecuador's northern jungle and fined it at least $8 billion, the plaintiffs' lead attorney told The Associated Press. Chevron said it would appeal and called the ruling "illegitimate and unenforceable" in a news release. The plaintiffs' lawyer, Pablo Fajardo, called the judgment "a great step that we have made toward the crystalization of justice." He told the AP, however, that he considered the damage award too low and was also considering an appeal. [also refers to Texaco (now part of Chevron)]