WASHINGTON - Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a $25 million fine for BP’s Alaskan pipeline spill of 5,000 barrels of oil in 2006. EPA says that the fine is the largest per barrel penalty to date for an oil spill.
Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) encouraged the EPA to insist on a comparable level of financial penalties for BP and the other companies involved in the Gulf of Mexico spill. BP is currently fighting both the size of the spill, and the structure of how fines will be assessed.
“Hopefully these fair fines for BP’s Alaska accident are a harbinger for the fines that will be levied for BP’s Gulf of Mexico disaster," said Rep. Markey, who is the top Democrat on the Natural Resources Committee and led oversight over the BP Alaska accident in 2006. “Whether it’s an accident at the top of the world, or at the bottom of the ocean, BP needs to be held fully accountable for their woeful safety track record."
BP recently filed court documents saying they should not be found as being negligent, and should be fined by the day for their spill, instead of by the barrel. The federal government, however, is seeking per barrel fines of up to $4,300 per barrel spilled, as opposed to the $32,500 per day BP is requesting. Fines by the barrel could total as much as $20 billion for the oil company, as opposed to as little as $2.8 million by the day. BP is also fighting the size of the spill, which would affect the per barrel fines.
