More than five years ago, on April 20, 2010, an oil refinery explosion on the Deepwater Horizon, a drilling rig owned by the energy company British Petroleum, caused an unprecedented environmental disaster in the Gulf Coast. Today a settlement was announced for monetary reparations for this disaster.
BP is going to pay $18.7 billion for the 2010 Deepwater Horizon drilling rig explosion http://t.co/zycdLfsvWn pic.twitter.com/auB267HVAL
— Newsweek (@Newsweek) July 2, 2015
This settlement is going, primarily, to be split amongst the affected Gulf Coast states.
MORE: Officials in Fla., Miss., Ala. and La. announce $18.7 billion settlement with BP over 2010 oil spill: http://t.co/0ol3E0KyN7
— The Associated Press (@AP) July 2, 2015
Florida to receive $3.5 billion of BP oil spill settlement to cover state economic loss & environmental recoveries http://t.co/EZYIHofSmn
— Anonymous (@YourAnonNews) July 2, 2015
A BP settlement has been reached! MS will receive $1.5B over the next 15 years. Great work by the AG's office and the DEQ! #GoCoast2020
— Michael Watson (@MichaelWatsonMS) July 2, 2015
BREAKING: Alabama's general fund will receive $55 million per year for next 18 years as part of BP settlement.
— Lagniappe (@LagniappeMobile) July 2, 2015
While it still has to be approved by the courts, reactions to the news are divided. Some are happy to hear the debt being paid would be the largest environmental fine in U.S. history, and the states are surely glad to get the money, but quite a few others think it’s still not nearly enough, and that BP got off easy.
DOJ says if approved, BP settlement will be the largest environmental settlement ever in US history. #DeepwaterHorizon #OilSpill
— Anne Thompson (@annenbcnews) July 2, 2015
Deepwater Horizon was so damaging that colossal $18.7bn settlement is considered good news for @BP_plc shareholders https://t.co/i1QQnJXiop
— Doug Parr (@doug_parr) July 2, 2015
BP shares jump after it reaches $18.7bn settlement with US government, states for Deepwater Horizon disaster: http://t.co/5M1hYfnc9X $BP
— Ed Crooks (@Ed_Crooks) July 2, 2015
Here’s how the settlement breaks down.
Nice chart of breakdown of BP Deepwater oil spill settlement http://t.co/XlaYkgmVeZ pic.twitter.com/1Q8kV9NSFS
— Maddow Blog (@MaddowBlog) July 2, 2015