JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — A federal judge has refused Exxon Mobil Corp.'s request that he declare efforts by the state and federal governments to seek additional clean-up funds related to the Exxon Valdez oil spill a violation of a consent decree.
U.S. District Judge H. Russel Holland says the governments haven't formally presented any claims. He says the possibility that they might doesn't create any hardships for Exxon.
The matter stems from the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster, which resulted in 11 million gallons of oil being spilled into Prince William Sound.
Lawsuits brought against Exxon by the state and federal governments led to a 1991 consent decree that resolved claims related to natural resource damages but included a reopener clause that would allow the governments to seek additional work for restoration projects.
Shares