Obama Justice Department Makes Right Decision to Sue BP
For Immediate Release
December 15, 2010
Contact:
Kelly Trout, 202-222-0722, [email protected]
Sarah Mier, 202-222-0751, [email protected]
Obama Justice Department Makes Right Decision to Sue BP
WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Obama’s Justice Department today sued BP and eight other companies responsible for the oil tragedy that unfolded this year in the Gulf of Mexico.
Friends of the Earth President Erich Pica had the following statement in response:
“I’m encouraged by the Obama administration’s decision to sue BP and other reckless companies that contributed to the worst oil disaster in our nation’s history. BP and its partners were, at a minimum, grossly negligent in operating Deepwater Horizon and responding to the explosion and months-long oil gusher.
“While the lives lost and damage to coastal economies and ecosystems cannot be reversed, justice can still be done. All responsible companies must be held accountable for the costs of cleaning up and restoring coastal communities and ecosystems decimated by the oil tragedy.
“At the same time, we cannot forget that the government, not just BP and other corporations, bear responsibility. President Obama’s administration must ensure that the policies that precipitated this disaster are transformed. Gulf Coast communities must receive the resources they need to recover and build sustainable, resilient economies. Nothing short of a ban on inherently dirty and dangerous drilling and a transition to clean and safe alternatives to oil can prevent another disaster.”
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