For those who were under the impression that the disaster of the Exxon Valdez was behind us, MSN Money reports, today, that over 18 years after the tanker created the largest ecological disaster in modern history, Exxon is still trying to escape the blame.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court recently said no to pleas for relief from the punitive damages the company was ordered to pay, totaling 2.5 billion dollars. This means that the next, and last step in this process, is the Supreme Court.

Even after 18 years of recovery, the areas of Prince William Sound have not fully recovered. Species not depending upon the ocean as habitat have fared better, most considered by scientists as back to pre-spill norms. The animals dwelling in the ocean, or making frequent trips into the waters there are still being affected, as it is reported that the oil is persistent, having been reduced by only 4%. Much of this is under the surface of the exposed shoreline, where it is not readily apparent. The oil still persists under the water as well, and has become an extremely viscous sludge the insiders refer to as oil mousse.

Despite the many studies done by the National Marine Fisheries Service, the Alaska Department of the Interior, and others, Exxon Mobil points to its own paid studies that produce contradictory results. Most of the surveys Exxon produces state that the area is healthy and thriving - nebulous terms, hard to prove or dispute. Indisputable is the overall amount of life now in the area, which remains well below pre-spill numbers.

One wonders how much of that 2.5 billion fine could have been paid during this time of political wrangling, which to casual inspection seems totally superfluous.

Exxon appears to be trying to move the timeline to one where most, if not all, will have long since forgotten the spill and the havoc caused by it. There remain, however, a core of 30,000 people who were directly affected. They await the compensation granted them by the legal system.

Of further interest, the other large oil companies operating nationally, BP [formerly Atlantic Richfield], ConocoPhilips, and Shell, have all formed a coalition called the U.S. Climate Action Partnership, along with various environmental groups, to work towards reduction of the greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. Exxon Mobil has made no moves toward membership.

Full article here.

Tags: exxon mobil, exxon valdez, supreme court, 9th circuit court, prince william sound, alaska, bligh reef, exxon valdez oil spill trustee council