US agency conducting criminal probe of BP (re. Alaska pipelines): report

[DeepModem Mom]

US agency conducting criminal probe of BP: report
Thu Apr 6, 2006

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. environmental regulators are conducting a criminal investigation into BP Plc's management of pipelines in Alaska's North Slope, the Wall Street Journal said on Thursday.

Citing people familiar with the matter, the newspaper said the investigation, which has been under way for several months by officials at the Environmental Protection Agency, was expanded to include an early March spill of an estimated 134,000 to 267,000 gallons of crude from a BP-operated pipeline at Prudhoe Bay.

One person familiar with the matter was reported as telling the newspaper that federal investigators are looking at corrosion issues on the ruptured line, as well as others in the area, to determine if BP has committed any violations of the federal Clean Water Act.

The act carries criminal and civil penalties for violations, such as allowing oil to spill into a federal waterway....

***

BP, the world's second-largest listed oil firm by market value, has cultivated a reputation for being the greenest of the oil majors....

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsarticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyid=2006-04-06T091413Z_01_L0619910_RTRUKOC_0_US-ENERGY-BP-PROBE.xml&rpc=22

[NVMojo]

1. holy crap!! this is not good!