Original sentence: A $4.5 billion punitive ruling against Exxon is under appeal.On March 24, 1989, shortly after midnight, the Exxon Valdez oil tanker struck Bligh Reef in Prince William Sound, Alaska and spilled more than 11 million gallons (42,000 m³) of crude oil.The Exxon Valdez oil spill was the second largest in U.The company paid $300 billion to 11,000 affected people, $2.2 billion to clean up Prince William Sound, and $1 billion in government settlements
Edited sentence: " However, a $4.5 billion punitive ruling against Exxon is still under appeal.Coast Guard declared the clean-up complete.Exxon paid $1 billion in settlements with the state and federal governments.Immediately after the spill, Exxon voluntarily paid $300 million to over 11,000 Alaskans and businesses affected by the Valdez spill.In addition, the company paid $2.2 billion to clean up Prince William Sound, a process that lasted until 1992, when the State of Alaska and the U.On March 24, 1989, shortly after midnight, the Exxon Valdez oil tanker struck Bligh Reef in Prince William Sound, Alaska, spilling more than 11 million gallons (42,000 m³) of crude oil.The punitive damages were set by a federal court judge in Anchorage, and have twice been vacated by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals as excessive.The spill was the second largest in U.Virtually all Valdez compensatory damages were paid in full within one year of the accident, and the trial court commended Exxon for coming forward "with its people and its pocketbook and doing what had to be done under difficult circumstances