Federal Judge Gives BP a 4 Billion Dollar Brake

spill as seen from space!

After finding that British Petroleum was grossly negligent in causing the Macondo well blowout that destroyed the Deep Horizon platform, federal district judge Carl Barbier reduced the overall fines payable by BP from $17.6 billion to $13.7 billion on Thursday.  He did this by concluding the size of the spill was 3.19 billion barrels, much lower than the government's final estimate of 4.09 billion barrels in the second phase of his admiralty bench trial.  The Clean Water Act sets a statutory maximum penalty of $4300 for each barrel spilled.  The judge will set the final penalties to be imposed in the third and final phase of the trial.  Because the ecosystem involved is vast and complex the National Academy of Sciences said in a 2013 study that it was difficult to the full extent of the damage of the crude oil and spill and the massive amount of chemical dispearsants used to break up the oil.

What is certain is that the largest spill in US history has and will continue to inflict far-reaching environmental damage to the Gulf of Mexico. Conservation groups have attempted to document specific damage to wildlife.  The National Wildlife Federation showed the Gulf's dolphin population are suffering severe illnesses caused by toxic exposure, and has observed decreases in marine wildlife populations.   The Department of Interior and National Audubon Society also reported negative effects on migratory birds, wading birds, waterfowl and oyster beds. Reserchers using submersible equipment found dead coral beds located near the well site. Greepeace obtained the photographs of a dead sperm whale in the weeks following the oil spill. Seafood brought in by fishermen continue to exhibit deformaties and lesions. Gulf beaches periodically suffer "tar ball" contaminations after storms. Are these and other undocumented, yet to be determined damages worth $4 billion. You bet your life.