WASHINGTON – The United States is suing BP and eight other companies for billions of dollars in damage from the BP Deep Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico last April. The U.S. Justice Department filed the civil complaint today with a federal court in New Orleans.
“We intend to prove that these violations caused or contributed to this massive oil spill, and that the defendants are therefore responsible – under the Oil Pollution Act – for government removal costs, economic losses, and environmental damages,” Attorney General Eric Holder said during a news conference in Washington. “We are also seeking civil penalties under the Clean Water Act, which prohibits the unauthorized discharge of oil into the nation’s waters.
Under just the Clean Water Act, BP could be assessed up to $1,100 for each barrel of oil spilled. Based on the federal government estimate of spilled oil, BP could face fines of between $5.4 billion and $21.1 billion. If it was determined that BP committed gross negligence or willful misconduct, the fine could be up to $4,300 per barrel.
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