
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, April 12, 1991                   TAG: 9104120078
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Los Angeles Times
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

EXXON SPILL DAMAGE EVEN WORSE

Two years after the disastrous Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska, newly released scientific findings disclose far greater and longer lasting environmental damage to fish and wildlife than previously acknowledged.

The 11-million-gallon spill of crude in Prince William Sound cut a broad swath through the ranks of marine mammals, fish, birds, ocean-bottom-dwelling creatures like mussels and clams and land creatures such as bears and deer.

The newly released findings summarize 58 field studies carried out by state and federal agencies since the March 1989 spill.

Disclosure of the findings, contained in a 19-page summary filed this week in federal court in Anchorage, came nearly a month after federal and state officials announced the terms of a proposed $1.1 billion settlement with Exxon.

Despite the evidence of widespread devastation, Alaska Gov. Walter Hickel's office said Wednesday that he and state Attorney General Charles Cole still will press for acceptance of the settlement. Both Hickel and Cole were aware of the scientific reports when they announced the settlement terms last month in Washington, the governor's spokesmen said.

by CNB