sentences:  In 1994, SeaRiver applied for a federal subsidy to operate tankers in the Persian Gulf.The petition stated they needed the money to stay competitive, because the "S/R Mediterranean" (the new name for the Exxon Valdez vessel) was unable to operate in Prince William Sound following the passage of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, which prohibits the tanker from operating in that area.In 1996, SeaRiver sought to put the "S/R Mediterranean" back into Prince William Sound by arguing that the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 was unconstitutional.