By Glynn Wilson –
MOBILE, Ala. — A federal judge in New Orleans granted final approval on Monday to the terms of a civil settlement agreement with British Petroleum for its role in the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion and disaster that killed 11 workers and dumped 4.9 million barrels or 210 million gallons of crude into the Gulf of Mexico.
U.S. Judge Carl Barbier approved the final amount of $18.7 billion, to be paid in penalties to the U.S. government and five Gulf states.
“Today’s action holds BP accountable with the largest environmental penalty of all time while launching one of the most extensive environmental restoration efforts ever undertaken,” U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch said in a statement announcing the deal.
BP claims its total pre-tax charges from the spill set aside for criminal and civil penalties and cleanup costs added up to about $53.8 billion.
Under the terms of the original agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice and the Gulf Coast states, BP will pay $12.8 billion for Clean Water Act fines and natural resource damages to the federal government, plus $4.9 billion to the states impacted by the oil, in payments staggered over 18 years.
The Macondo well explosion on April 20, 2010, is now considered the worst offshore oil disaster in U.S. history, in addition to the largest and worst environmental disaster in American history.
The disaster turned many Gulf Coast residents into activists, and many people along the coast still do not trust the oil companies. A large contingent of activists recently staged a protest in New Orleans to oppose new oil leases in the Gulf.
Protesters Crash the Super Dome and Shut Down Gulf Oil Lease Sale
More Photos
Before you continue, I’d like to ask if you could support our independent journalism as we head into one of the most critical news periods of our time in 2024.
The New American Journal is deeply dedicated to uncovering the escalating threats to our democracy and holding those in power accountable. With a turbulent presidential race and the possibility of an even more extreme Trump presidency on the horizon, the need for independent, credible journalism that emphasizes the importance of the upcoming election for our nation and planet has never been greater.
However, a small group of billionaire owners control a significant portion of the information that reaches the public. We are different. We don’t have a billionaire owner or shareholders. Our journalism is created to serve the public interest, not to generate profit. Unlike much of the U.S. media, which often falls into the trap of false equivalence in the name of neutrality, we strive to highlight the lies of powerful individuals and institutions, showing how misinformation and demagoguery can harm democracy.
Our journalists provide context, investigate, and bring to light the critical stories of our time, from election integrity threats to the worsening climate crisis and complex international conflicts. As a news organization with a strong voice, we offer a unique, outsider perspective that is often missing in American media.
Thanks to our unique reader-supported model, you can access the New American journal without encountering a paywall. This is possible because of readers like you. Your support keeps us independent, free from external influences, and accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for news.
Please help if you can.
American journalists need your help more than ever as forces amass against the free press and democracy itself. We must not let the crypto-fascists and the AI bots take over.
See the latest GoFundMe campaign here or click on this image.
Don't forget to listen to the new song and video.
Just because we are not featured on cable TV news talk shows, or TikTok videos, does not mean we are not getting out there in search engines and social media sites. We consistently get over a million hits a month.
Click to Advertise Here