BP lawsuits over oil spill take center stage - any updates ?

[dipsydoodle]

Were there any updates at all on this from last Thursday ?

Idaho (Reuters) - More than 2,000 miles from the Gulf of Mexico shoreline, a panel of U.S. judges heard arguments from lawyers on Thursday on how piles of oil spill-related lawsuits against BP Plc should be merged. http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE65O5TA20100729

[babylonsister]

1. rethugs (and some Dems) obstructed again, vote now delayed til September...

Reid Delays Vote on Oil Spill Until September at Earliest
Senate Again Holds Up Legislation Addressing Gulf of Mexico Spill and Energy Use
By Andrew Restuccia 8/3/10 4:01 PM


Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) announced today that he will not hold a floor vote on an energy and oil spill response bill this week, the latest delay in a months-long effort to pass legislation to address the massive disaster in the Gulf of Mexico and reform the way the country uses energy. With the delay, the package cannot be considered until Congress returns in September from its summer recess.

“Since Republicans refuse to move forward with any meaningful debate, we will postpone tomorrow’s votes on energy until after the recess,” Reid told reporters in the Capitol today. “In the interim, we will continue to work to get Republican votes for a strong bill that holds BP accountable, creates jobs, lowers costs and protects the environment.”

Republicans stood together to oppose the legislation and some Democrats raised issues with the bill as well, making it impossible to find the 60 votes necessary to overcome a GOP filibuster and move the package forward to an up-or-down vote.

At the center of the opposition is a provision in the bill that would remove the $75 million cap on a company’s economic liability in the event of a spill. Republicans, as well as oil state lawmakers like Sens. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) and Mark Begich (D-Alaska), argue that small- and medium-sized companies will not be able to drill in the Gulf of Mexico if they are held liable for all of the economic damages related to an oil spill. They say that such a provision would hurt the economy and drive offshore drilling and the jobs that go with it overseas, where regulations are less stringent.

more...

http://washingtonindependent.com/93560/reid-delays-vote-on-oil-spill-until-september-at-earliest

[dipsydoodle]

2. Isn't that another issue

quite apart from other law suits including class-actions ? Or - is there an association ?

[babylonsister]

3. Could be, but I would think bp's financial liability needs to

be concretely determined before lawsuits can go forward.

[dipsydoodle]

4. I think making any change in the law

retrocactive. in the absense of a criminal act being found proven, is the bit least likely to pass. Aside from that BP have already far exceeded the original cap of $75 million.

[blindpig]

5. That could take years

the ecological damage is gonna take a while to become fully evident.

BP will never be able to fully cover the cost, better to expropriate now.