EPA Officials Weigh Sanctions Against BP’s U.S. Operations

[kpete]

Source: ProPublica

EPA Officials Weigh Sanctions Against BP’s U.S. Operations

Officials at the Environmental Protection Agency are considering whether to bar BP from receiving government contracts, a move that would ultimately cost the company billions in revenue and could end its drilling in federally controlled oil fields.

Over the past 10 years, BP has paid tens of millions of dollars in fines and been implicated in four separate instances of criminal misconduct that could have prompted this far more serious action. Until now, the company's executives and their lawyers have fended off such a penalty by promising that BP would change its ways.

That strategy may no longer work.

Days ago, in an unannounced move, the EPA suspended negotiations with the petroleum giant over whether it would be barred from federal contracts because of the environmental crimes it committed before the spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Officials said they are putting the talks on hold until they learn more about the British company's responsibility for the plume of oil that is spreading across the Gulf.

The EPA said in a statement that, according to its regulations, it can consider banning BP from future contracts after weighing "the frequency and pattern of the incidents, corporate attitude both before and after the incidents, changes in policies, procedures, and practices."

Read more: http://www.propublica.org/feature/epa-officials-weighing-sanctions-against-bps-us-operations

[begin_within]

1. It's about frickin' time

What are they waiting for?

[aquart]

2. "Consider"? What's left to consider?

[Lerkfish]

4. great minds.

we almost posted at the same time.

[glinda]

5. Seriously, any pause to reflect is stupid.

[Lerkfish]

3. what's to weigh? what's to consider?

when they say they're weighing it, I fear its to give the appearance of oversight, only to weasel out at the last minute and say "well, we WEIGHED it, but decided against actually doing anything"

that's my fear on this.

[G_j]

6. BP May Be Barred From U.S. Contracts .. Plan Weighed by EPA

Source: ProPublica/ Bloomberg

BP May Be Barred From U.S. Contracts Under Plan Weighed by EPA
May 21, 2010, 5:46 PM EDT

By Kim Chipman

May 21 (Bloomberg) -- The Obama administration may prohibit BP Plc from getting government contracts after it obtains more information about the company’s oil spill polluting the Gulf of Mexico.

The Environmental Protection Agency was already in talks with BP about its conduct, such as past convictions for violating the Clean Air Act, before the explosion on a BP-leased oil rig on April 20, the agency said today in a statement. After the spill that followed, the discussions were put on hold, the agency said.

BP would lose billions of dollars in revenue should the U.S. freeze the entire London-based company out of all government contracts. Such a move would prohibit BP from drilling for oil and gas in federally controlled areas.

“Potentially, BP could be prevented from having any contracts with the federal government at all, which is quite far-reaching,” John Pendergrass, a senior attorney with the Washington-based Environmental Law Institute, said in an interview.

In addition to drilling leases, London-based BP’s contracts with the U.S. have involved services such as a $1.1 billion contract awarded in 2008 to supply aviation fuel to the Defense Department.

Read more: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-05-21/bp-may-be-barred-from-u-s-contracts-under-plan-weighed-by-epa.html

---

I'll believe it when I see it. I doubt this will ever happen.

[Big Blue Marble]

7. Now how to ban the other oil corpses as well? N/T

[Hempathy]

14. Get people to stop using oil and it's assundry products...?

Not very realistic.

[Robbien]

8. ProPublica broke this news story

It's rotten that Business Week is stealing the story even ProPublica's quotes giving one the impression it is Business Week's story. Only at the end does it say "ProPublica, a New York-based, not-for-profit news service, reported the suspension of EPA talks with BP earlier today."

Pfft.


ProPublica's much more detailed story at
http://www.propublica.org/feature/epa-officials-weighing-sanctions-against-bps-us-operations

[katandmoon]

9. Right.......I'll hold my breath...not.

[dgibby]

10. Considering BP's abysmal history,

shouldn't this have been done long ago? Seems like we're a day late and a dollar short on this, but I will welcome any progress, late or not.

[salguine]

11. "Banned from contracts"!? This company should be dismembered and its executives

put in prison for the rest of their worthless lives.

[swilton]

12. Sceptic here

I'll believe it when I see it. "May be" are two very powerful words.

[G_j]

13. has it happened with Halliburton? nt