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Florida Won’t Join Federal Suit Against Oil Spill Rig Owner
April 19, 2011
Florida is not ready to jump into federal court to recover millions in lost revenue from the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill and will go its own way for now in talks with the oil company and other players responsible for the April 20 spill that clobbered the Panhandle economy last year.
Touring the Florida Panhandle on the eve of the first anniversary of the largest oil spill in U.S. history, Gov. Rick Scott and Attorney General Pam Bondi said the state will not join in a federal lawsuit filed in New Orleans to recoup money from Transocean, the company that built the oil rig that exploded, killing 11 workers and spewing more than 4 million barrels of oil into the Gulf, ruining last summer for many along a coast that depends heavily on tourists and fishing.
Speaking to reporters following a tour of Eastern Shipbuilding, a Panama City company that builds supply vessels used to support oil rigs, Scott said the state will focus its attentions on its continuing negotiations with BP, whose oil spilled out of the well, at least until those talks no longer bear fruit.
“It doesn’t make sense for the state to join that lawsuit,” Scott said. “We have a plan to make sure our state is treated fairly with regard to getting reimbursed by British Petroleum for the damages to our state.”
Bondi said state officials have ongoing talks with BP in an effort to come up with a number acceptable to all parties. Right now, those talks remain productive.
“It’s our responsibility to get as much money for them as quickly as we can,” Bondi told the News Service before a scheduled meeting of the Cabinet in Panama City. “The Transocean deadline does not affect us, nor will it affect us if we eventually choose to enter litigation.
“Right now, we’re attempting to reach a settlement,” Bondi said. “What we would do if we did go to litigation, would be to go through the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 before engaging in litigation.”
The federal act requires the state to present a claim directly to BP instead of going to court. Attorneys for the state plan to file an interim claim within the next several months after they get a better handle on damages incurred. If that fails, the state will follow it with litigation against BP.
“If we have to file a claim we will,” Scott said.
Bondi and Scott made their comments as the pair travelled to the Panhandle on a promotional swing as the region enters it tourist season, which, unlike the South Florida season, peaks in the summer. Scott’s itinerary included stops at local shops in downtown Panama City, and a charter fishing trip. He planned stops in Destin and Pensacola on Wednesday, the actual one-year anniversary of the explosion.
The visit comes as local tourism officials and businesses say the initial results point toward a rebound in business as the 2011 tourist season comes into view.
“We’re stomping it,” said Pat Lamar, owner of The Canoe Shop in downtown Panama City. “Nobody talks about the spill anymore, we’re looking ahead. You have to, right?”
Eastern Shipping owner Brian D’Isernia said the spill took its toll. The federal moratorium on deepwater drilling cost him orders for three supply ships.
“It was very difficult to take,” he said of the moratorium.
While the state continues to pursue its recovery, individuals and private businesses continue their own process for reimbursement for lost income under the direction of the BP Gulf Coast Claims Facility, run by Federal Claims Administrator Ken Feinberg. As of Monday, the group has paid out about $3.8 billion to 176,000 claimants region-wide.
By Michael Peltier
The News Service of Florida
Comments
8 Responses to “Florida Won’t Join Federal Suit Against Oil Spill Rig Owner”
Everybody can say what they want I’m not eating anything out of the gulf. When they first started using the dispersent I looked at the MSDS sheet on it . It said CARCINOGEN when everyone else started making a big stink about the dispersent I went back and looked at the MSDS sheet on the internet again this time it said DETERGENT.
I’m so confused…….
Not even a conspiracy theorist……..
water. it will be water.
oh, but then what would we have to fight wars over? never mind…
we are consumers and although some deny this, we are free. we can get off of petroleum products and stop consuming vast quantities of non renewable resources….when the general populace has the same mindset, governments, even military might can not compete. this mindset, not lawsuits or law enactment, is what will stop the destruction of the earth at the hands of the oil companies.
Did the whole state suffer because of the spill. NO. Why should the state profit off some one else’s misfortune. What are you willing to bet that none of the money would even make it to the panhandle?No all you sue happy folks, want something for nothing.Well if we did sue , and won, who are we going to sue next when this money runs out? No, we need to learn to live within our means, If we do not have the money , then it is time to cut. Because you cannot sue your way out of debt.Scott needs to hold their feet to the fire, and make sure those who have suffered get the money, but not the whole state.
There seems to be a lot of anti-Scott feeling in Florida these days. What does one expect from a man who made no secret of his desire to turn Florida into the wild, wild west for business. Governor Scott is doing exactly what he promised to do. As the old saying goes, you get what you pay for. In this case the voters bought Scott last November. Now the state and its people will continue paying the price until 2015.
He may have been the best choice of the crooked political system that we have. What was the bigger crime the other canidate did, besides being a democrate?
Well I guess he’s getting a cut from BP now. How anyone voted for the man involved in one of Medicare’s biggest frauds is beyond me. I hear he gets booed every where he goes now. Wish that he could be impeached!