Last month, it appeared that one chapter in the BP oil spill saga was ending, when the petroleum giant agreed to a $7.8 billion settlement with businesses and individuals affected by the 2010 spill. Last Friday, however, the Attorney General for the state of Florida asked a federal court to delay preliminary approval of the proposed settlement.
Pamela Bondi requested the delay in a Louisiana court filing, citing concerns that “the settlement may be preliminarily approved before this office and other interested stakeholders have a meaningful opportunity to review and comment on its terms.” Bondi also said that the settlement might exclude some Florida residents, according to Bloomberg.
She asked U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier to establish a “briefing schedule” to allow for a more in-depth review of the deal’s terms.
The proposed settlement would settle economic claims from fishermen, restaurant owners, hoteliers and others who lost business after the spill. It would also provide financial compensation and ongoing medical treatment for those with spill-related health problems.
BP still faces claims from the U.S. government, five Gulf states and some of its own drilling partners for its role in the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion and resulting spill. The company has also filed its own lawsuits against Transocean Ltd., owner of the Deepwater Horizon rig, and Halliburton Co., which cemented the well at the site.
