Exxon will pull out the last of the cleaning - up oil from the Exxon Valdez spill on Wednesday , because of deteriorating conditions and shortening daylight hours . The Valdez population likely will plunge from 13,000 to about 4,500. After treating over 1,000 miles of shoreline , it claims that only four miles remain untreated . Government officials disagree . Alaska is suing oil companies for negligence in preventing and cleaning - up the spill . On Saturday businesses closed in Port Angeles . Otter and bird rescue operations are also shutting down . More than 500 birds and 980 otters died . The cleanup involved 12,000 workers and 1,300 vessels and cost more than $ 1.2 billion . Exxon has paid $ 90 million in damage claims .
Exxon will pull out the last of the cleaning - up oil from the Exxon Valdez spill on Wednesday , because of deteriorating conditions and shortening daylight hours . After treating over 1,000 miles of shoreline , it claims that only four miles remain untreated . Government officials disagree . Alaska is suing oil companies for negligence in preventing and cleaning - up the spill . On Saturday businesses closed in Port Angeles . Otter and bird rescue operations are also shutting down . More than 500 birds and 980 otters died . The cleanup involved 12,000 workers and 1,300 vessels and cost more than $ 1.2 billion . Exxon has paid $ 90 million in damage claims .