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BP Held Responsible for Oil Spill

It’s about time. The White House announced that they would be holding BP and four other companies accountable for the tragic oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico last April. On Wednesday, the Department of Justice filed a civil lawsuit in New Orleans for damages from the spill.

According to the New York Times, Attorney General Eric Holder said, “I have seen the devastation that this oil spill caused throughout the region, to individuals and to families, to communities and to businesses, to coastlines, to wetlands, as well as to wildlife.”

Who can forget the pictures of the pelicans covered in oil?

The defendants in the law suit are BP, Transpocean, Anadarko Petroleum Corp., MOEX and Lloyd of London’s, BP’s insurer.

Politico reported:

“We intend to prove that these defendants are responsible for government removal costs, economic losses, and environmental damages without limitation,” Holder said in a statement. “Even though the spill has been contained, the Department’s focus on investigating this disaster and preventing future devastation has not wavered. Both our civil and criminal investigations continue, and our work to ensure that the American taxpayers are not forced to bear the costs of restoring the gulf area and its economy is moving forward.”

The lawsuit falls under the Oil Pollution Act and the Clean Water Act. While the extent of the damages is unknown, the costs have been projected to surpass the $75 million cap in the Oil Pollution Act.

Disappointingly, Haliburton, the contractor recently blamed in a presidential commission for the sloppy cement work in the well, is not being sued at this time. However, Mr. Holder noted that the government is reserving the right to add any defendants to the suit as they see fit.

Watch the whole press conference here.

Tags: BP