Citgo plans to appeal $120M ruling in 2004 Delaware River oil spill

Citgo says it plans to appeal an order to pay $120 million for its role in a quarter-million-gallon oil spill in 2004 in the Delaware River.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that a federal judge in Philadelphia ordered the company last month to pay $71.5 million to the ship owner and operator and about $48.6 million to cover about half of federal cleanup costs.

The judge ruled that Citgo failed to provide a safe berth to the Athos I oil tanker.

The spill occurred when a tanker struck a submerged anchor as it approached the Citgo refinery dock in Paulsboro, New Jersey. It temporarily shut down a nuclear power plant, delayed shipping and killed more than 180 birds.

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The U.S. Coast Guard said the crew and pilots did nothing wrong.

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