Justice Department 'expects it may' sue BP

[babylonsister]

Justice Department 'expects it may' sue BP
By Allan Chernoff, CNN
September 14, 2010 2:20 p.m. EDT


New York (CNN) -- The Justice Department says it may sue BP for damages from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, according to a filing made Monday night with the U.S. District Court in New Orleans, Louisiana.

"At this juncture, the United States expects that it may file a civil complaint related to the Deepwater Horizon disaster," the court document says.

While the legal wording of the filing presents some ambiguity, the Justice Department has gone as far as to signal its intent by requesting that the court establish a track separate from the many private lawsuits. The government says its claims, "may involve complex scientific and economic expert testimony" that may not be needed to quantify claims from private parties.

BP told CNN it has no comment.

Other companies involved in the Deepwater Horizon drilling accident also might be subject to a federal lawsuit.

Justice Department attorneys told the court they may seek claims under the Oil Pollution Act, which was enacted in 1990 after the Exxon-Valdez oil spill, and the Clean Water Act, which gives the government the right to seek potentially huge penalties.

more...

http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/09/14/bp.justice.legal.action/index.html

[JuniperLea]

1. The only thing surprising about this...

Is that they are talking about it already. I thought it would be buried in BP BS for a lot longer.

[babylonsister]

3. And the DOJ want a separate suit; I hope they mean business! nt

[Cha]

2. It sounds like they have every right to sue..under

THe Clean Water Act.