Deadly: A pelican caught in the oil along the Louisiana coast in June. The damage from the spill is estimated to be in the billionsBP was hit last night with a massive lawsuit over the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.
The American government accused it and eight other companies of violating U.S. environmental and pollution laws.
The White House launched the action in a bid to recover billions of pounds from the disaster.
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said it was only the ‘first step’ in holding the British-based oil giant and others accountable for the ‘devastation’ on the Gulf Coast.
‘We will not hesitate to take whatever steps are needed to hold accountable those who are responsible for this spill,’ said Mr Holder. ‘We intend to prove that these defendants are responsible for governmental removal costs, economic losses and environmental damages.’
The lawsuit filed in New Orleans yesterday doesn’t put a limit on damages the U.S. is claiming for cleaning up the spill and for the havoc wreaked on the environment.
Emotive: Footage of workers trying to clean up the Gulf Coast after the oil spill were shown on televisions at the news conference at the Justice Department on Wednesday
Disaster: Crude oil from the spill is carried by a wave on to the Alabama coast in June
source: dailymail
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