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adn.com | money : U.S. appeals court tells Exxon to pay fishermen:

A federal appeals court on Wednesday denied Exxon Mobil Corp.'s request for another hearing, letting stand its ruling that the energy giant owes $2.5 billion in punitive damages for its 1989 oil spill in Alaska.

The ruling by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco is a milestone, ending a ping-pong cycle of decisions and appeals between the California court and the Alaska district court.

Now only the U.S. Supreme Court can consider any further appeals.

An Exxon spokesman said yes, the company will appeal...

Lawyers for the plaintiffs say about 20 percent of their clients in the extensive class action have died waiting for payment. The class now stands at about 33,000 commercial fishermen, cannery workers, landowners and Natives, local governments and businesses.