U.S. District Court Judge H. Russel Holland ruled Monday against a request that he force Exxon Mobil Corp. to pay for the cleanup of oil left on the Prince William Sound shoreline from the 1989 tanker Valdez spill.
The request came from former University of Alaska marine science professor Rick Steiner, who filed a court motion to try and force resolution of the case. Steiner said he was frustrated because the state and federal governments filed a $92 million claim against Exxon in 2006 but never tried to collect the money.
Government lawyers said they're waiting for studies on the remaining oil and the effectiveness of cleanup techniques before pursuing the claim against Exxon. The oil company, meanwhile, says it doesn't have any obligation to pay.
Judge Holland last week expressed dissatisfaction with how long the case is taking, saying "it really is time to put this whole thing to bed." Holland also said in his Monday ruling that there's a public perception it's taken far too long.
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