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Analysis: New law on BP spill fines raises stakes for Gulf states

Reuters -- U.S. Gulf Coast states have a higher stake in the amount of money the U.S. government can wring out of BP Plc for the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill due to a new law that would divert billions of dollars in potential BP fines to them.

The RESTORE Act, signed by President Barack Obama on July 6, directs that 80 percent of Clean Water Act penalties paid by BP be placed in a new trust fund for restoration efforts in the five coastal states damaged by the worst U.S. offshore oil spill: Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida and Texas.

BP faces billions of dollars in civil and criminal penalties from the April 20, 2010, explosion aboard the Deepwater Horizon rig, which killed 11 rig workers and unleashed 4.9 million barrels of oil that soiled the shorelines of four Gulf Coast states.

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Submitted Jul 15, 2012 By: Mudsprings

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cee68 Veteran Author Arizona Posts:434 Points:509,285 Joined:Jan 2011	Message Posted: Jul 20, 2012 8:05:48 AM Ignore cee68 Report Abuse k
honda0105 Champion Author Tallahassee Posts:18,632 Points:1,610,495 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Jul 18, 2012 6:06:01 AM Ignore honda0105 Report Abuse thanks for posting.
LetemEatCake Champion Author Oklahoma City Posts:5,596 Points:1,205,480 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: Jul 16, 2012 11:21:17 PM Ignore LetemEatCake Report Abuse Good article. Totally agree Six Ball!
six_ball_man Champion Author Rochester Posts:8,548 Points:1,393,070 Joined:Oct 2007	Message Posted: Jul 16, 2012 2:32:03 PM Ignore six_ball_man Report Abuse Folks supporting the criminals at BP and drilling in the gulf in general must not like eating very much...or at least eating shrimp.
sparky808 Champion Author Honolulu Posts:3,003 Points:598,710 Joined:Sep 2011	Message Posted: Jul 16, 2012 1:33:28 PM Ignore sparky808 Report Abuse Thank you for posting.
coughlin Champion Author San Jose Posts:5,185 Points:1,117,865 Joined:Sep 2009	Message Posted: Jul 16, 2012 11:56:42 AM Ignore coughlin Report Abuse Imagine if it had been a company 'only' worth a couple of million dollars?
roadrunnin Champion Author Richmond Posts:1,754 Points:565,135 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: Jul 16, 2012 12:46:17 AM Ignore roadrunnin Report Abuse since they suffered the most, shouldn't they get the most restitution?
jimpeel Veteran Author Colorado Posts:462 Points:107,415 Joined:Mar 2005	Message Posted: Jul 16, 2012 12:38:09 AM Ignore jimpeel Report Abuse Enough money will fix anything. That's what the politicians will tell us -- right?
justmedc Veteran Author Michigan Posts:382 Points:174,045 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Jul 16, 2012 12:31:08 AM Ignore justmedc Report Abuse money should go to fix and clean areas affected
NorthglennBill Champion Author Denver Posts:7,427 Points:1,472,920 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Jul 15, 2012 11:59:41 PM Ignore NorthglennBill Report Abuse ...and the lawyers continue to make money. Lots of money.
hatterasjack Champion Author South Carolina Posts:1,296 Points:726,100 Joined:Sep 2007	Message Posted: Jul 15, 2012 11:57:36 PM Ignore hatterasjack Report Abuse These fines should go to cleaning up these kind of messes.
stopforgas All-Star Author Mississippi Posts:996 Points:481,705 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: Jul 15, 2012 11:57:15 PM Ignore stopforgas Report Abuse I keep reading responses from folks who say "leave BP alone, accidents happen, etc." Obviously they are not from the gulf coast or haven't seen the real impact of the oil spill. BP was blatantly negligent as was Halliburton. Not only should they pay restitution, they should should face punitive damages high enough to make them change policies and culture. I say hit them $100 billion dollars and make them think twice about disregarding common sense and risking more damage to the environment.
joel27nc Champion Author Raleigh Posts:10,537 Points:1,858,370 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: Jul 15, 2012 11:56:38 PM Ignore joel27nc Report Abuse Thanks BP
gsipper Champion Author Indianapolis Posts:1,098 Points:658,275 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: Jul 15, 2012 11:56:14 PM Ignore gsipper Report Abuse Way to go BP.
jrsva Champion Author Virginia Posts:9,857 Points:1,613,225 Joined:Jan 2006	Message Posted: Jul 15, 2012 11:55:40 PM Ignore jrsva Report Abuse “The Government should leave BP alone. Accidents happen.” Wow, now there’s an idea . . . but not a good one. The Deepwater Horizon was an ‘accident’ waiting to happen. It is hard to call it an accident when it was largely due to incompetence and mismanagement. Profit first, Safety last was the motto.
bowler360 Champion Author Illinois Posts:1,975 Points:499,775 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: Jul 15, 2012 11:51:50 PM Ignore bowler360 Report Abuse good
sprocketsplines Champion Author Washington Posts:1,687 Points:861,615 Joined:Oct 2010	Message Posted: Jul 15, 2012 11:51:36 PM Ignore sprocketsplines Report Abuse Too often funds placed in trust are later misappropriated for other urgent needs.
bobdec Champion Author Miami Posts:8,969 Points:1,770,795 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: Jul 15, 2012 11:49:40 PM Ignore bobdec Report Abuse Fines will not deter the spills very much
SandeeC Champion Author Ontario Posts:2,993 Points:460,705 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Jul 15, 2012 11:44:50 PM Ignore SandeeC Report Abuse The fines won't stop the spills... but it will help in clean-up costs. Wherever there's oil, spills will keep on happening. The answer is to put the money into ways to clean it up faster and better.
nomad228 Champion Author Columbus Posts:3,117 Points:575,140 Joined:Feb 2011	Message Posted: Jul 15, 2012 11:44:02 PM Ignore nomad228 Report Abuse blah blah blah means people making claims to get ten times what their businesses were worth or would bring in during a great year. blah blah blah blah means driving a competittor out of business so another american company can buy their holdings on the cheap.yes the oil rig workers and their families should be paid restitution plus a life long stipen for the ones who lost their provider. blah blah blah means but i think bp has went above and beyond taking care of their responsibility for the spill and hopefully all of big earl will learn from their mistakes .
WinderGuy Champion Author Georgia Posts:2,869 Points:932,605 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: Jul 15, 2012 11:43:30 PM Ignore WinderGuy Report Abuse Ok
jessek Champion Author Detroit Posts:2,657 Points:1,280,490 Joined:Sep 2008	Message Posted: Jul 15, 2012 11:43:30 PM Ignore jessek Report Abuse Hope it never happens again.
mstearno Champion Author Dayton Posts:8,071 Points:1,732,210 Joined:Jan 2008	Message Posted: Jul 15, 2012 11:43:20 PM Ignore mstearno Report Abuse let's do more shallow drilling
DarthDadJr Champion Author Virginia Posts:7,312 Points:1,521,420 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Jul 15, 2012 11:41:03 PM Ignore DarthDadJr Report Abuse Let's hope that this doesn't happen again...
fenster66 Champion Author Pittsburgh Posts:3,355 Points:675,065 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Jul 15, 2012 11:39:45 PM Ignore fenster66 Report Abuse hope BP and Big Oil learn from this...
PDQBlues Champion Author San Diego Posts:7,074 Points:1,448,325 Joined:Jan 2009	Message Posted: Jul 15, 2012 11:38:39 PM Ignore PDQBlues Report Abuse Maybe next time these oil corporations will actually make safety a priority.
TheOneOkole Rookie Author Tucson Posts:61 Points:4,200 Joined:Jun 2012	Message Posted: Jul 15, 2012 11:35:53 PM Ignore TheOneOkole Report Abuse hmm, think about it
beachmanglen All-Star Author Tampa Posts:679 Points:496,350 Joined:Aug 2011	Message Posted: Jul 15, 2012 11:34:21 PM Ignore beachmanglen Report Abuse The Government should leave BP alone. Accidents happen.
kd5kpd Champion Author Texas Posts:3,741 Points:1,417,700 Joined:Apr 2006	Message Posted: Jul 15, 2012 11:32:22 PM Ignore kd5kpd Report Abuse Good luck!!
naiiawah Champion Author Boise Posts:2,395 Points:690,075 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Jul 15, 2012 11:32:19 PM Ignore naiiawah Report Abuse As it should be (where the money goes)!
drz614 Champion Author Harrisburg Posts:2,304 Points:598,595 Joined:Aug 2011	Message Posted: Jul 15, 2012 11:32:00 PM Ignore drz614 Report Abuse ok
Amtrgas Champion Author Oakland Posts:2,678 Points:1,621,695 Joined:Dec 2007	Message Posted: Jul 15, 2012 11:30:09 PM Ignore Amtrgas Report Abuse I hope that the people who were effected, by the explosion and spill. Are the ones getting the money, and not the government.
WIPACKERFAN Champion Author Chicago Posts:8,809 Points:1,844,425 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: Jul 15, 2012 11:28:45 PM Ignore WIPACKERFAN Report Abuse OK
Harry813 Champion Author Iowa Posts:3,005 Points:661,865 Joined:Jul 2011	Message Posted: Jul 15, 2012 11:27:24 PM Ignore Harry813 Report Abuse They have the $& to pay the fines.
rf6480 Champion Author Miami Posts:1,534 Points:547,805 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Jul 15, 2012 11:23:16 PM Ignore rf6480 Report Abuse all politics. Why does there need to be another law? The spill happened they got fined spend the cleanup money where it's needed.
Dougieda Sophomore Author Boston Posts:129 Points:564,715 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: Jul 15, 2012 11:22:43 PM Ignore Dougieda Report Abuse which they should
goldrose1 Champion Author Cleveland Posts:10,941 Points:1,925,580 Joined:Feb 2005	Message Posted: Jul 15, 2012 11:22:28 PM Ignore goldrose1 Report Abuse BP just writes it off.
DEG Champion Author Las Vegas Posts:17,625 Points:3,495,680 Joined:Jul 2003	Message Posted: Jul 15, 2012 11:22:17 PM Ignore DEG Report Abuse The government stealing from all of us to benefit a single region.
ratboy1968 Champion Author Montreal Posts:2,617 Points:549,475 Joined:Oct 2011	Message Posted: Jul 15, 2012 11:21:38 PM Ignore ratboy1968 Report Abuse Ok
Jeeputtputt Champion Author Ohio Posts:3,002 Points:677,465 Joined:Aug 2009	Message Posted: Jul 15, 2012 11:16:32 PM Ignore Jeeputtputt Report Abuse tax, sue, fine,
Goody2317 All-Star Author Wilmington Posts:680 Points:620,005 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Jul 15, 2012 11:14:16 PM Ignore Goody2317 Report Abuse Somehow, I see this is going to backfire and they states will hardly see any of this money.
bikerchicklette Champion Author Washington Posts:5,889 Points:1,296,845 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Jul 15, 2012 11:14:12 PM Ignore bikerchicklette Report Abuse WoW !!
blazerbob91 Champion Author Milwaukee Posts:6,145 Points:1,883,670 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: Jul 15, 2012 11:12:33 PM Ignore blazerbob91 Report Abuse We'll all pay for the spill
MRHONEST Champion Author Illinois Posts:2,212 Points:1,675,680 Joined:May 2007	Message Posted: Jul 15, 2012 11:09:13 PM Ignore MRHONEST Report Abuse Veryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy interesting!
gumbyrex Champion Author Fresno Posts:3,301 Points:759,290 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Jul 15, 2012 11:06:45 PM Ignore gumbyrex Report Abuse The states are entitled to every penny, if not more.
serrog Champion Author Nova Scotia Posts:5,569 Points:1,513,105 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Jul 15, 2012 11:06:21 PM Ignore serrog Report Abuse Interesting
HDFXR1991 Veteran Author Wisconsin Posts:469 Points:141,030 Joined:Sep 2008	Message Posted: Jul 15, 2012 11:05:31 PM Ignore HDFXR1991 Report Abuse And are theses states going to get the money due to them? HELL NO!
justmedc Veteran Author Michigan Posts:382 Points:174,045 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Jul 15, 2012 11:00:00 PM Ignore justmedc Report Abuse the money should go to the clean up
96sc1 Champion Author El Paso Posts:8,517 Points:1,367,440 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: Jul 15, 2012 10:56:28 PM Ignore 96sc1 Report Abuse Way to buy votes, Mr. President!
teebone1234 Champion Author San Francisco Posts:1,702 Points:348,075 Joined:Apr 2012	Message Posted: Jul 15, 2012 10:56:09 PM Ignore teebone1234 Report Abuse agree with paulydel