Murkowski Statement on Exxon Court Ruling

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, this evening issued the following statement after the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ordered the Exxon Mobil Corporation to pay $507.5 million in punitive damages from the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil disaster. In addition, the Court also ordered Exxon Mobil to pay 5.9 percent interest accrued from the 1996 trial judgment:

 

“I am gratified by the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decision to award interest to the plaintiffs of the Exxon Valdez oil spill. While I am still extremely disappointed in the Supreme Court’s decision to reduce the punitive damage award, it is my hope that the interest will help the victims of the worst environmental disaster in U.S. history recover a small part of their losses and not allow 13 years of appeals to deprive them of any more justice.”