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

DATE: FRIDAY, August 20, 1993                   TAG: 9308200072
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Short

EXXON, AGENCIES GET MOST OF SPILL FUND

The trust fund set up to repair Alaska's coastline after the Exxon Valdez oil spill has spent the lion's share of its money so far on administrative costs, legal and travel expenses and reimbursement of the government and Exxon Corp., an Associated Press review has found.

Of the $202 million disbursed, $45 million has gone to new environmental restoration projects, according to a review of documents from the federal-state trustee council that manages the fund.

Critics, including Clinton administration members, say the promise that the fund financed by Exxon would bankroll environmental restoration has taken a back seat.

"Things that actually help restore [the environment] - there's been very little of that," said Pamela Brodie of the Sierra Club.

Some of the trustees acknowledged high administrative costs, especially in the first year, but said the legal settlement with Exxon dictated that.

The review of the first $202 million in expenditures found:

$39.9 million was sent back to Exxon under a little-publicized provision in the legal settlement that allowed the oil giant to reimburse itself for its cleanup costs.

$49.2 million went to reimburse federal agencies for cleanup of the spill.

$17.4 million was paid to Alaska for legal expenses it incurred suing Exxon.

by CNB