Transocean to Pay $1.4 billion for its Role in the Gulf Oil Spill of 2010

On January 3, 2013, the Department of Justice announced that it has reached an historic settlement with Transocean for its role in the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The $1.4 billion settlement will be paid under the Clean Water Act for civil and criminal penalties.

Much of these funds will go towards restoring the Gulf, as directed by the RESTORE Act. Gulf restoration and economic development groups lauded the announcement and issued the following statement:

BP Accused of Corporate Recklessness Including Willful Misconduct, Gross Neglect and Making False Statements

A recent US Justice Department court filing, accuses British Petroleum (BP) of gross neglect, as well as making false and misleading comments. The accusations stem from BP's handling of the 2010 explosion of the Deepwater Horizon that spilled 5 million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico and killed 11 workers.

The Justice Department alleges false statements and misrepresentation over BP's assertion that the Gulf Coast's natural resources are making a "robust recovery" from its massive 2010 oil spill.

Palin Blames Environmentalists for Oil Spill

The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is the fault of 'extreme environmentalists' who protest against oil companies, Sarah Palin said.

The former Alaskan governor said if campaigners weren't successful in prohibiting land based oil exploration in the US, companies like BP would not have to resort to deep-sea drilling and the oil spill disaster would never have happened.

Palin, who made the chant 'Drill, Baby, Drill!' famous in the 2008 presidential election, favors drilling in environmentally sensitive areas including the Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

In an online Facebook rant titled 'Extreme Enviros: Drill, Baby, Drill in ANWR - Now Do You Get It?' she said: 'Look, here's the deal: when you lock up our land, you outsource jobs and opportunity away from America and into foreign countries that are making us beholden to them.'

'Extreme deep water drilling is not the preferred choice to meet our country's energy needs, but your protests and lawsuits and lies about onshore and shallow water drilling have locked up safer areas,' she said.

Palin does not appear to understand that the catastrophic impacts of oil are not reserved for off shore drilling. Fossil fuels are a finite source of energy that is driving climate change. The environmental impact of burning fossil fuels and the risks associated with its exploitation, justifies the aggressive pursuit of renewable alternatives.

Rush Limbaugh's excuse may be an addiction to pain medication, Palin may simply be the victim of her own intellect.

Palin said, 'It's catching up with you. The tragic, unprecedented deep water Gulf oil spill proved.' However, what is more likely is that Palin's tragic record on the environment will one day catch up with her.
_____________________________________________

Related Posts

Limbaugh Blames the Sierra Club for Oil Spill
Palin Renews Call for Offshore Oil Exploitation
Sarah Palin Belongs on Fox Not Discovery
Sarah Palin: Tea Party Queen but No Friend of Green
Tea Party's Climate Change Denial
Palin is No Friend of Green
Drill Baby Drill
Protecting the Planet from Corporate Influence
Supreme Court Decision Undermines Climate Change Legislation
The Tyranny of Protest and Climate Change Pragmatism
What is Wrong with the Right
The Business of Climate Change Deception
The End of Oil and the Next Energy Economy