NJ judge approves Exxon $225 million cleanup settlement

(Reuters) – A New Jersey judge on Tuesday approved Exxon Mobil Corp’s controversial $225 million settlement of a lawsuit over environmental damage from its refinery operations and service stations. Michael Hogan, a state Superior Court judge, called the accord a “reasonable compromise,” despite being far smaller than the $8.9 billion of damages that New Jersey initially estimated. (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Andrew Hay)