Tell the EPA: Don’t let BP drill for oil in the Gulf – the EPA is close to cut deal allowing BP to start securing federal contracts and new leases to drill for oil in the Gulf of Mexico

March 29, 2014

Since pleading guilty to criminal charges related to the catastrophic Gulf of Mexico oil spill, BP has rightly been suspended by the Obama administration from bidding on federal contracts and oil leases.

But according to the president of BP America, the EPA is close to cutting a deal which would lift the suspension and allow BP to start securing federal contracts and even new leases to drill for oil in the Gulf of Mexico.

Just 14 months after pleading guilty to its crimes, BP shouldn’t be rewarded with lucrative federal contracts and allowed to open up shop in our Gulf. Not now, not ever.

Tell the EPA: Don’t lift BP’s suspension from bidding on federal contracts and oil leases.

BP’s criminal actions in the Gulf had irreversible consequences that could last for decades or longer. Its massive oil spill devastated ecosystems, harmed the region’s economy and residents’ health, and killed 11 people.

Even before the Deepwater Horizon disaster and BP’s conviction on 11 counts of manslaughter, environmental crimes — including violating the Clean Water Act — and lying to Congress about the size of the Gulf oil spill, the company was already on probation for a 2005 explosion at its Texas City refinery, which killed 15 people.