Latest Mississippi River Delta News: February 20, 2013
BP agreement could cut oil spill fines
By Steve Mufson, The Washington Post. February 20, 2013.
“BP has won an agreement from the Justice Department that there will be no penalties on the barrels of crude oil the company was able to recapture during the 2010 Gulf of Mexico spill, effectively cutting the company’s potential Clean Water Act fines by as much as $900 million, or even up to $3.5 billion…” (Read more)
Coastians share visions of Gulf at meeting on RESTORE Act oil spill-relief fund
By Karen Nelson, The Sun Herald (Biloxi, Miss.). February 19, 2013.
“BILOXI — More than 250 people came to listen and learn Tuesday night about the process that will eventually distribute hundreds of millions of dollars to the Gulf Coast for recovery from the 2010 BP oil disaster…” (Read more)
Business officials push for RESTORE Act funds to pay for ecosystem restoration
By Clay Chandler, The Mississippi Business Journal. February 19, 2013.
“A group of 120 business leaders have signed a letter urging that money allocated under the RESTORE Act be used to rebuild the Gulf Coast’s ecosystem after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico…” (Read more)
Battle Lines Drawn for BP’s Day in Court
By Clifford Klauss, The New York Times.
“HOUSTON — Unless the Justice Department and BP reach a last-minute settlement, the British oil company will return to court on Monday to face tens of billions of dollars in civil claims from the 2010 explosion on the Deepwater Horizon rig in the Gulf of Mexico that could cripple the company for years to come…” (Read more)
BP faces civil trial over gulf oil spill
By Julie Cart, The Los Angeles Times. February 19, 2013.
“With the ink barely dry on the record-breaking $4-billion check BP wrote to settle criminal charges stemming from its Gulf of Mexico oil spill disaster, the energy giant now faces a protracted court battle that could cost it billions more…” (Read more)
Council to host public meeting on RESTORE Act plan
By Valerie Garman, The News Herald. February 19, 2013.
“PANAMA CITY BEACH — Bethany Kraft believes the best voice for the Gulf of Mexico ultimately will come from the people who live there…” (Read more)
Federal judge approves $1 billion civil settlement of environmental charges against Transocean
By Mark Schleifstein, The Times-Picayune (New Orleans). February 19, 2013.
“A federal judge in New Orleans on Tuesday approved a $1 billion partial civil settlement with Transocean Ltd. and its subsidiaries, which owned the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig that exploded off the coast of Louisiana in April 2010 while drilling BP’s Macondo well, resulting in 11 deaths and the worst oil spill in United States history…” (Read more)