NATION IN BRIEF : ALASKA : Exxon Blames State for Spill Problems

Exxon has filed a legal complaint against the state of Alaska, charging that the state prevented the oil company from using chemicals to disperse oil in the early days of the Exxon Valdez spill last March. The company’s complaint was filed as a counterclaim to a state suit against Exxon and essentially seeks to shift the blame off the oil company for the damage caused by the spill and onto the state. State officials have insisted that Exxon had permission to use dispersants in most of the spill area, but that the oil company had an insufficient quantity of dispersant and was unable to muster the needed air support.