WP: US, Alaska Want $92M More From Exxon: Oil from Valdez Spill Remains

[DeepModem Mom]

U.S., Alaska Want $92 Million More From Exxon
Oil From Valdez Spill Remains, They Say
By Steven Mufson and Juliet Eilperin
Washington Post Staff Writers
Friday, June 2, 2006; Page A04

The Justice Department and the state of Alaska have asked Exxon Mobil Corp. to pay an additional $92 million to help repair damage caused by lingering quantities of oil that continues to sully the waters in Alaska's Prince William Sound where the Exxon Valdez tanker crashed in 1989.

Exxon has already paid $900 million for damage caused by the spill, the worst in the nation's history, but the 1991 agreement settling claims allowed the state and federal governments to ask for as much as $100 million more for damage that could not be foreseen at that time. The deadline for reopening the agreement is today.

"After extensive review it is clear that populations and habitat within the oil spill area have suffered substantial and unanticipated injuries that are attributable to the Exxon Valdez oil spill," said Alaska Attorney General David W. Márquez. In a background briefing yesterday, officials from the Agriculture, Interior and Commerce departments said the additional money was needed because substantial amounts of oil remained in the sound's tidal basin, affecting clams, mussels, sea otters, sea ducks -- especially harlequin ducks -- and other birds.

Exxon disputed the governments' move. "Exxon will study this request carefully and respond as appropriate," the company said in an e-mailed statement. "Nothing we have seen so far, however, indicates that this request for further funding from Exxon is justified."...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/01/AR2006060101110.html?sub=AR

[roguevalley]

1. still isn't enough. the nazis owe us EVERYTHING THEY OWN!

[callous taoboy]

2. This dough will come in handy

when the other end of the aging pipeline starts to sputter and hemorrhage oil.

[ShockediSay]

3. Hey! If that's what they owe

they can certainly afford it and then some