Legal experts believe the Clean Water Act could be a powerful weapon to punish those involved in the accident and collect at least $4.7 billion in civil fines for the oil that’s been spilled so far. The federal legislation was bolstered following the Exxon Valdez spill in 1989 to impose harsh civil and criminal penalties for oil spills.

 

Tracy Hester, director of the University of Houston’s Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Center, told McClatchy Newspapers that there are “tons of lawyers” looking at using the Clean Water Act to build cases against the companies involved, such as BP.

 

Among the cases being developed are those under the watch of U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, who is preparing to pursue civil and criminal sanctions against those responsible for the spill.

-Noel Brinkerhoff

 

BP Could Face Massive Fines Under Clean Water Act (by Les Blumenthal, McClatchy Newspapers)

Officials Cite Progress in Siphoning Oil, But Remain Unclear on Size of Spill (by David A. Fahrenthold and Dan Zak, Washington Post)