NATION IN BRIEF : WASHINGTON, D.C. : Wildlife Federation, Exxon Trade Insults

An exchange of stinging letters was made public after Exxon USA’s resignation from the National Wildlife Federation’s corporate advisory board. The federation’s panel was formed to foster “frank and open discussions” between industry and the federation’s leaders. But an Exxon official said the conservation group’s actions regarding “the Valdez oil spill have failed to demonstrate any sense of objectivity or fairness.” Federation President Jay Hair replied: “The fact that Exxon has been judged a corporate pariah in the court of public opinion has little or nothing to do with the National Wildlife Federation. That distinction has been clearly earned by Exxon’s leadership.”