NATION IN BRIEF : ALASKA : Battle Renewed Over Cleaning Up Oil Spill

Alaska demanded that Exxon pick up leftover oil spill cleanup garbage collected by state and local crews, but Exxon refused, triggering a new war between the state and the oil giant. Alaska’s on-scene cleanup coordinator prepared a partial pickup list and promised Exxon a map showing where oil spill garbage needed to be removed. An Exxon spokesman, however, said collecting garbage gathered by state workers and villagers would encourage unsafe winter work and subject Exxon to liability. Exxon pulled crews off the job Sept. 15 after a six-month effort to clear the mess left by the 11-million gallon Exxon Valdez oil spill on March 24.