Settlement FAQs

how much was the bp settlement

by Henderson Frami Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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In 2015 the Justice Department and Gulf coast states reached a record civil settlement with BP that totaled over $20 billion, including a $5.5 billion civil penalty under the Clean Water Act, $8.1 billion in natural resource damages and $5.9 billion in payments to state and local governments.Apr 23, 2020

What is the BP oil spill settlement?

Oil Spill Claims The BP oil spill settlement holds the company fully accountable to individuals and businesses affected by the spill and requires that they fully satisfy all eligible claims. If you were harmed by the Gulf of Mexico spill, you may still be able to make a claim for compensation.

What does the second BP settlement mean for the Gulf?

The second BP settlement compensates Gulf residents and clean-up workers who suffered medical ailments related to exposure to the oil and chemical dispersants in the weeks and months following the spill.

How much did BP pay for the Gulf of Mexico oil spill?

Last May, a federal court rejected a claim by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for almost $20 million related to the oil spill. The total BP settlement to states and the federal government came out to $20 billion BP also had to pay the Justice Department $4 billion, with another $32 billion earmarked for disaster cleanup.

Are BP payouts still being enforced after 10 years?

Just last month a court ordered BP to pay settlements to five Walmart’s including one in Destin, Florida and another in Panama City, signaling payouts are still being enforced by courts 10 years after the event. Last May, a federal court rejected a claim by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for almost $20 million related to the oil spill.

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How much did BP pay the survivors?

On Feb. 15, 2018, the Mexican government agreed to the $25.5 million payout from BP, in return for settling their lawsuit, clearing the transnational energy giant of all damages to Mexican waters.

How much did BP pay in private settlements?

Under the final consent decree, BP will pay the trustees up to $8.8 billion, the largest recovery of damages ever for injuries to natural resources, to restore the Gulf. The settlement includes: $1 billion already allocated during early restoration which began in 2011.

How much did BP settle for?

In November 2012, BP agreed to pay $4.5 billion in criminal fines and fees to the federal government. The U.S. and state governments also filed a civil lawsuit against BP under environmental laws, which resulted in an $18.7 billion settlement in July 2015.

How much did BP pay for the oil spill total?

Total BP money paid out pushing $60 billion It'll cost $6.4 million, but the city has that sum covered, thanks to their settlement with BP Oil. Almost 10 years since the Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico and five years from the settlement was announced, BP oil money is still coming to Tampa Bay.

How much money did BP lose on Deepwater Horizon?

We may never know the full extent of the ecological damage. BP paid dearly for the reckless corporate culture of cost-cutting and excessive risk-taking that caused the spill: more than US$60 billion in criminal and civil penalties, natural resource damages, economic claims and cleanup costs.

Is Deepwater Horizon still leaking?

One oil well off the southeastern coast of Louisiana, owned by Taylor Energy, has been leaking since 2004, spilling between 300 and 700 barrels per day. The well's reserves could keep it leaking for the next 100 years if it isn't capped, meaning it will one day eclipse the Deepwater Horizon spill in terms of volume.

Did anyone from BP go to jail for Deepwater Horizon?

(Reuters) - A former BP Plc BP. L rig supervisor who pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge in the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill was sentenced to 10 months of probation on Wednesday, concluding a federal criminal case in which no one received prison time over the disaster.

Who was liable for Deepwater Horizon?

On Jan. 29, 2013, BP Exploration and Production Inc. pleaded guilty to illegal conduct leading to and after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster, and was sentenced to pay $4 billion in criminal fines, penalties and restitution, including $2.4 billion for natural resource restoration.

Were there any survivors of Deepwater Horizon?

In total, there were 126 crew members on the rig at the time of the explosion. 94 of the workers who survived were taken by lifeboat and 17 were evacuated by helicopter. Some jumped from the rig as the fire spread.

How accurate is the movie Deepwater Horizon?

But, unlike many films based on true events, Deepwater Horizon actually stays remarkably close to real life. The film chronicles the last moments on the drilling rig for which the movie is named in remarkable detail.

How many died on the Deepwater Horizon rig?

On April 20, 2010, the oil drilling rig Deepwater Horizon, operating in the Macondo Prospect in the Gulf of Mexico, exploded and sank resulting in the death of 11 workers on the Deepwater Horizon and the largest spill of oil in the history of marine oil drilling operations.

Did the workers of Deepwater Horizon get a settlement?

Oleander Benton, a worker who survived the explosion on the Deepwater Horizon rig deep in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010, has reached an undisclosed settlement with British Petroleum, Transocean Ltd., and other companies responsible for operating the Deepwater Horizon rig.

Where did the BP oil spill money go?

Mississippi has received about $192 million from the fund. Alabama has received about $300 million; Florida, about $290 million; Louisiana, $603 million; and Texas, $203 million. About $940 million remains to be allocated.

Does Donald Vidrine still work for BP?

Donald Vidrine, BP supervisor on Deepwater Horizon rig, dies at 69 - The Washington Post.

How much money is being spent to restore the Gulf?

The RESTORE Act The legal actions against BP and the other responsible parties were settled with more than $20 billion being set aside over a 16-year period for environmental and economic restoration of the Gulf region.

How much did BP pay the Justice Department?

BP also had to pay the Justice Department $4 billion, with another $32 billion earmarked for disaster cleanup.

How much did the Tampa Bay Buccaneers pay for the oil spill?

Last May, a federal court rejected a claim by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for almost $20 million related to the oil spill. The total BP settlement to states and the federal government came out to $20 billion. BP also had to pay the Justice Department $4 billion, with another $32 billion earmarked for disaster cleanup. LATEST NEWS.

How much did the Deepwater Horizon cost Tampa?

It'll cost $6.4 million, but the city has that sum covered, thanks to their settlement with BP Oil. Almost 10 years since the Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico and five years from the settlement was announced, BP oil money is still coming to Tampa Bay.

Will other cities receive money from BP?

Other cities and municipalities will continue to receive money from BP for some time.

What is the BP settlement?

The BP settlement is expected to resolve most private economic loss, property damage and injury claims stemming from the Gulf of Mexico oil spill tragedy. In its agreement, BP has reached two separate settlement agreements. The first BP settlement compensates private economic losses related to the oil spill. These claims include individuals and businesses which suffered damage to wetlands, coastal property and personal property; lost profits; sustained real property sales losses; lost subsistence use; and have claims for failure to pay under BP’s Vessels of Opportunity Program. The second BP settlement compensates Gulf residents and clean-up workers who suffered medical ailments related to exposure to the oil and chemical dispersants in the weeks and months following the spill. Residents in the coastal and wetlands areas of the Gulf will be compensated for a wide range of specific medical conditions, including stomach, skin and respiratory conditions. The second BP oil spill settlement also provides periodic medical consultations over the next 21 years. Claimants are permitted to participate in either or both settlements.

What is the BP oil spill settlement?

The BP oil spill settlement holds the company fully accountable to individuals and businesses affected by the spill and requires that they fully satisfy all eligible claims. If you were harmed by the Gulf of Mexico spill, you may still be able to make a claim for compensation.

Is it too late to file a claim for BP oil spill?

Gulf of Mexico Residents: If you have been affected by the BP oil spill, it's not too late to make a claim for damages. The oil giant has reached a settlement to compensate the hundreds of thousands of individuals and business owners who were harmed by the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

How much was the environmental damage settlement?

It was largely settled when a Federal District judge approved the largest environmental damage settlement in United States history – $20.8 billion – on April 4, 2016.

How much did BP spend on restoration of the Gulf of Mexico?

In 2011, one year after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, BP agreed to provide up to $1 billion toward early restoration projects in the Gulf of Mexico. Since then, the Trustee Council has approved five early restoration plans, encompassing 65 projects at an estimated cost of $866 million. These projects allowed us to start restoring the Gulf before the formal damage assessment ended. Those funds are credited towards the possible final $8.8 billion total.

How many people died in the Deepwater Horizon oil spill?

Deepwater Horizon. On April 20, 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded off the Gulf Coast, killing 11 people and injuring 17. So began an 87-day oil spill that spewed 3.19 million barrels, or nearly 134 million gallons, into the Gulf of Mexico.

What percentage of the oil spill liability fund is used for oil spill removal?

The remaining 20 percent , or $1.33 billion, went to The Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund, a general government fund established in 1986 to aid in oil spill removal and assessment of the damage they have caused.

How much was the Deepwater Horizon case?

history. BP pled guilty in 2012 to 14 felony counts and was fined a record $4 billion –and half directly benefits the Gulf. $4 billion.

How many sea birds died in the Louisiana oil well?

But it left the region reeling from a disrupted coastal economy; a devastated ecosystem; the deaths of as many as 105,400 sea birds, 7,600 adult and 160,000 juvenile sea turtles; and up to a 51-percent decrease in dolphins in Louisiana’s Barataria Bay.

How much money did Louisiana get from the oil spill?

Louisiana will receive more than half the funding, $5 billion, since it saw the most significant damage from the spill. Detailed allocations and project information can be found on the Trustee Council website.

What was the OSHA settlement with BP?

In 2005, BP agreed to implement significant operational changes in a settlement with OSHA for violations of the Process Safety Management (PSM) regulations . BP's settlement with EPA for CAA Section 112 (r) General Duty Clause violations complements this earlier OSHA agreement and requires additional process and safety changes including increased reporting on incidents which resulted, or could have resulted, in catastrophic releases of regulated substances. The Consent Decree requires BP to regularly prepare and submit the following to EPA:

What is the penalty for BP?

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Justice Department announced today that BP Products North America Inc. has agreed to pay a $15 million penalty to resolve federal Clean Air Act violations at its Texas City, Texas petroleum refinery. The penalty is both the largest ever assessed for civil violations of the Clean Air Act's chemical accident prevention regulations, also known as the risk management program regulations, and the largest civil penalty recovered for Clean Air Act violations at an individual facility.

What caused the explosion at the raffinate?

During the startup, the unit's associated "raffinate splitter tower" (which separates light from heavy gasoline components) was overfilled with flammable hydrocarbon liquids. This tower exploded when ignited by a spark from an idling nearby truck.

Where is BP located?

BP Products North America, Inc., which operates as a subsidiary of BP plc., is based in Warrenville, Ill. with additional offices in Chicago and Houston. With annual revenues of $239 billion and operations in more than 30 countries, BP employs approximately 2,000 employees at the Texas City, Texas facility, which is the third largest refinery in the United States.

Where is the proposed settlement in Texas?

The proposed settlement, lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, is subject to a 30-day public comment period and final court approval. Information on submitting comments is available at the Department of Justice website.

Who investigated the smog incident?

The incident was investigated by the United States Chemical Safety Board and EPA. These investigations resulted in enforcement actions by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and by EPA for civil and criminal violations of the Clean Air Act (see " Related Actions ," below).

How much did BP cleanup cost?

BP wrote off the cost of its $32 billion cleanup effort after the spill, costing American taxpayers roughly $10 billion. However, the Justice Department reached a $4 billion criminal settlement with BP over its role in the deaths of 11 workers on the oil rig when it exploded. That $4 billion was explicitly made nondeductible.

How much did BP settle for the 2010 Gulf oil spill?

Now that a judge has approved BP's $20 billion settlement over the 2010 gulf oil spill, it is appropriate to look at the overall societal costs, as well as the bottom line to BP. And at tax time, people understandably think about their own taxes, too. The government struck a $20 billion settlement with BP, which is a big number.

How much money can BP deduct on taxes?

Yet BP should be able to deduct the vast majority, a whopping $15.3 billion, on its U.S. tax return. That means American taxpayers are contributing quite a lot to this settlement, whether they know it or not.

What is the Truth in Settlements Act?

The proposed Truth in Settlements Act ( S. 1898) would require agencies to report after-tax settlement values. Another bill, S. 1654, would restrict tax deductibility and require agencies to spell out the tax status of settlements. The present tax code allows businesses to deduct damages, even punitive damages.

Who is the critic of the BP deal?

One big critic of the deal is U.S. Public Interest Research Group, which often rails against tax deductions by corporate wrongdoers. U.S. Public Interest Research Group has asked the Justice Department to deny tax deductions for BP and other corporate defendants.

Will BP still claim the settlement?

Despite thousands of comments from ordinary Americans calling on the Department of Justice to deny these tax write offs, BP will still be able to claim the settlement as business as usual. This not only shifts the burden of the deal onto ordinary taxpayers, but it also sends the wrong message.

How much did BP pay for the well?

In 2016, the Department of Justice reached the largest environmental damages settlement in history, forcing United Kingdom-based BP to pay more than $20 billion. That money, combined with over $2 billion in criminal penalties — as well as smaller settlements against Transocean and Anadarko, two companies that owned the vessel and part of the well, respectively — is earmarked over the next decade or so through several federal funding programs and the five Gulf states of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.

What is the purpose of BP funds?

The state has spent BP funds on several projects that address water quality: acquiring land that had been privately owned to help reduce harmful runoff; rebuilding the oyster population, which acts as a water filter; and implementing natural living shorelines with marshes, which, like oysters, remove excess nutrients, reducing the potential for harmful algae blooms.

How much is the Hancock County Living Shoreline project?

Especially during a record-breaking hurricane season, MDEQ is hoping that the $56 million-project will both combat erosion and restore habitat; the state, having spent about $30 million so far, has built breakwaters off the Coast that allow sediment to accumulate, and it just received funding to grow more than 40 acres of marsh, which will both provide a nursery for small species and help reduce storm surges.

What are some examples of spillway issues?

For example, after a record-breaking two openings of the Bonnet Carré Spillway last yea r, which wiped out marine life and left fishermen reeling, federal officials said earlier this year that any change in the spillway’s operation would require congressional action. The spillway openings cause sharp changes to the Gulf’s salinity, which in 2019 killed nearly all of the state’s oysters and over half of its shrimp and blue crabs.

What are the goals of the Mississippi spill?

After the spill, the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality landed on three primary goals for the state’s $1.3 billion, which it said are based largely on conversations with local Coast stakeholders: improving water quality, restoring marine resources, and conserving coastal habitat.

Which state has a coastal master plan?

Some conservationists point to Louisiana, which plugs various funding sources into its Coastal Master Plan to combat land loss.

Has Mississippi recovered from the oil spill?

He said that although the Coast had historically been an economic driver for the state, it hasn’t recovered as well as the rest of Mississippi since the Great Recession in 2008.

What was Watts' suit against BP?

A sturdy egg of a man in his early 40s with a hawkish nose and a shiny dome, Watts considered the suit against BP clear-cut. “BP was a three-time felon,” he told me. “It pled guilty to a felony in 1999 from a spill in Alaska. It pled guilty to killing 15 people in Texas City in 2005.

How much did the Gulf Coast settlement cost?

A well-known attorney helped land a $2 billion settlement for Gulf Coast seafood-industry workers. But who was he really representing?

What happened to Nguyen on April 20th?

Then, on April 20, a friend radioed him: The Coast Guard was calling everyone back to shore. Deepwater Horizon, a BP oil rig 40 miles off the coast of Louisiana, had exploded. Nguyen was far from the flames and the oil. As he traveled home, he saw only an endless expanse of night and a sliver of moon.

What did Watts argue about BP?

He argued that BP should issue a settlement before he produced paperwork proving damages. Otherwise, the committee would be forced to take the company to trial, where it would be on the hook for more money than a settlement would likely cost. Getting the usual records would be largely impossible, Watts contended: These fishermen do not speak English, depend on a shadow economy, and travel back and forth to Vietnam. (Leaders of the local Vietnamese community dispute this characterization.)

Why did Watts's case go awry?

To represent as many clients as possible, as quickly as possible, Watts and his fellow investors relied on an army of field-workers who spread out along the coast—and it was in this messy and time-consuming process that the case went awry. According to Watts’s version of events, by the time he began to realize the scope of the problem, he was in too deep to get out.

How long did the Deepwater Horizon oil spill last?

The Deepwater Horizon well spewed oil for 87 days; it was one of the largest environmental disasters in American history.

Why did BP sue Watts?

He was asked to step down from the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee, and in December 2013, BP sued Watts for inflating the cost of the settlement by fraudulently claiming clients.

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Overview of Companies and Location of Facilities

  • BP Products North America, Inc. engages in the exploration, development, production, refining, and marketing of oil and natural gas. BP Products North America, Inc., which operates as a subsidiary of BP plc., is based in Warrenville, Ill. with additional offices in Chicago and Houston. With annual revenues of $239 billion and operations in more tha...
See more on epa.gov

Violations

  1. On March 23, 2005, a series of fires and explosions at the refinery claimed the lives of 15 workers and injured more than 170 people. The cause of the explosion was traced to the startup of an "iso...
  2. The incident was investigated by the United States Chemical Safety Board and EPA. These investigations resulted in enforcement actions by the Occupational Safety and Health Admini…
  1. On March 23, 2005, a series of fires and explosions at the refinery claimed the lives of 15 workers and injured more than 170 people. The cause of the explosion was traced to the startup of an "iso...
  2. The incident was investigated by the United States Chemical Safety Board and EPA. These investigations resulted in enforcement actions by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), a...
  3. EPA's inspections following the 2005 incident for compliance with the Clean Air Act identified numerous violations of the CAA Section 112(r) General Duty Clause, 42 U.S.C. § 7412(r), and the Risk M...
  4. The specific events at BP's Texas City refinery covered by the settlement include the following:

Injunctive Relief

  • In 2005, BP agreed to implement significant operational changes in a settlement with OSHA for violations of the Process Safety Management (PSM) regulations. BP's settlement with EPA for CAA Section 112(r) General Duty Clause violations complements this earlier OSHA agreement and requires additional process and safety changes including increased reporting on incidents whic…
See more on epa.gov

Health and Environmental Effects

  • BP's enhanced 112(r)/RMP compliance activities in regard to managing risk at its facility will reduce the likelihood that a catastrophic release will occur. If one should occur, these compliance activities will minimize the consequences of such a release.
See more on epa.gov

Comment Period

  • The proposed settlement, lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, is subject to a 30-day public comment period and final court approval. Information on submitting comments is available at the Department of Justicewebsite.
See more on epa.gov

For More Information, Contact

  • Dean Ziegel U.S. EPA Waste and Chemical Enforcement Division 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Washington DC 20460 (202) 564-4038 [email protected] Evan Pearson U.S. EPA Region 6 (Mail Code: 6RC) 1445 Ross Avenue, Suite 1200 Dallas, TX 75202-2733 (214) 665-8074 [email protected]
See more on epa.gov

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