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• Constitutional limits on oil spill money fails

  June 17, 2013 2:52 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Attempts to limit Gulf Coast oil spill penalty money to coastal restoration in the Louisiana Constitution failed to gain legislative passage for a second year in a row. Disagreements continue over just how tightly the dollars should be restricted. Rep. Simone Champagne of Erath says she wants... more »

• Cleanup work after BP oil spill ending in 3 states

  June 10, 2013 2:36 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - BP PLC says cleanup work is ending in three of the states affected by the company's massive 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The London-based oil giant said Monday that the Coast Guard is concluding "active cleanup operations" in Mississippi, Alabama and Florida, but the... more »

• Judge tosses ex-BP executive's obstruction charge

  May 20, 2013 4:32 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge has dismissed one of the two counts in the indictment of a former BP executive who was charged with concealing information from Congress about the amount of oil leaking in 2010 from the company's blown-out well in the Gulf of Mexico. U.S. District Judge... more »

• OSHA impersonator gets 57 months in oil spill scam

  May 17, 2013 4:21 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A woman has been sentenced to 57 months in prison for bilking Gulf Coast residents by posing as a federal safety official after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The U.S. Justice Department said Friday that 47-year-old Connie Knight, formerly of Belle Chasse, had claimed to be... more »

• Ex-BP executive's trial delayed

  May 9, 2013 11:32 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge has agreed to postpone the trial of a former BP executive. David Rainey is charged with concealing information from Congress about the amount of oil that was leaking from the company's blown-out well in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. Rainey's trial was scheduled... more »

• Bryant: $69M more from BP for Gulf restoration

  May 2, 2013 3:14 PM

  JACKSON, Miss. - BP PLC has agreed to pay $69 million more for restoration projects for the Mississippi Gulf Coast following, says Gov. Phil Bryant. The money is part of $1 billion the oil giant agreed two years ago to pay for early restoration work after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon... more »

• Haliburton seeking settlement over Gulf oil spill

  April 22, 2013 10:14 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - BP's cement contractor on the drilling rig that exploded in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 says it is trying to negotiate a settlement over its role in the disaster. Halliburton Chief Financial Officer Mark McCollum said Monday that talks are at an "advanced stage." The... more »

• Testimony ends for 1st phase of BP spill trial

  April 17, 2013 6:00 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - Testimony has concluded for the first phase of a high-stakes trial over the deadly 2010 rig explosion that led to the nation's worst offshore oil spill. U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier didn't rule Wednesday on any claims in the litigation after BP PLC wrapped up its defense.... more »

• BP manager testifies at trial over Gulf oil spill

  April 15, 2013 9:15 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - A BP team leader who supervised managers on the rig that exploded in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 says he was frustrated by last-minute changes to the drilling project but didn't have any safety concerns before the deadly blast. John Guide was the first witness to... more »

• BP to call 1st witness at trial over Gulf spill

  April 8, 2013 6:34 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - BP is scheduled to call its first witness Monday at a trial designed to determine causes of its April 2010 well blowout in the Gulf of Mexico and assign fault to the companies involved in the deadly disaster. Halliburton, BP PLC's cement contractor on the Deepwater Horizon... more »

• BP appeals ruling in Gulf spill settlement

  April 4, 2013 9:47 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - BP has appealed a federal judge's interpretation of settlement terms governing payouts to businesses that claim the company's massive 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico cost them money. BP has asked the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to review last month's ruling by District... more »

• La. man gets prison for plot to defraud BP

  April 3, 2013 10:16 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - A Covington businessman has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for a plot in which he fraudulently billed BP for roughly $1.4 million for use of a helicopter after the company's huge 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Bay Ingram, who owned Southeast Recovery... more »

• Group: Dolphin, turtle deaths a sign of sick Gulf

  April 2, 2013 1:44 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A prominent environmental group says continuing deaths of dolphins and sea turtles are a sign that the Gulf of Mexico is still feeling effects from the 2010 oil spill. National Wildlife Federation scientist Doug Inkley said Tuesday the deaths - especially in dolphins, which are at the... more »

• Ark. AG plans to open investigation into oil spill

  April 2, 2013 10:24 AM

  LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel is going to open an investigation into the cause and impact of last week's ExxonMobil pipeline rupture. McDaniel's office said Tuesday that ExxonMobil has been asked to preserve all documents and information related to Friday's oil spill and ongoing cleanup efforts... more »

• Halliburton worker testifies at Gulf spill trial

  April 2, 2013 10:20 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - A man who worked for BP's cement contractor on the drilling rig that exploded in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 says he didn't believe the oil giant's employees were risking workers' safety when they didn't follow his recommendations. Halliburton employee Jesse Gagliano began testifying Tuesday at... more »

• Oil spill trial to resume today

  April 2, 2013 8:51 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - Legal proceedings in the 2010 deadly Deepwater Horizon disaster is scheduled to resume Tuesday with testimony expected from a Halliburton employee who was on the rig when it exploded. Jesse Gagliano worked on the failed cement job that led to BP's well blowout. He was interviewed by... more »

• Plantiffs rest in trial over 2010 Gulf oil spill

  March 20, 2013 2:17 PM

  NEW ORLEANS- Plaintiffs' attorneys have rested their case at a trial over the deadly Deepwater Horizon rig explosion and massive 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. A federal judge heard testimony by more than a dozen witnesses called by the Justice Department and private attorneys for Gulf Coast... more »

• Defense starts for companies in Gulf spill trial

  March 18, 2013 10:16 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - The owner of the drilling rig that exploded in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 has started to present its defense at a trial designed to determine the causes of the deadly disaster and assign fault to the companies involved. Transocean Ltd. called its first witness Monday... more »

• Halliburton exec testifies at Gulf spill trial

  March 11, 2013 3:41 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - An executive from the company that was BP's cement contractor on the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig says he learned of some "irregularities" in tests that the contractor's employees performed after the massive 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Timothy Probert, a Halliburton president who served... more »

• Coast Guard: No oil found after reports of inland spill

  March 11, 2013 11:47 AM

  PLAQUEMINE - The Coast Guard said they found no oil at the site of a reported spill near Plaquemine. Commander Quincy Davis said they were told Saturday an oil spill was spotted about 10 miles south of the Port Allen Locks. He also said the person who reported it... more »

• BP: costs rising from spill settlement

  March 8, 2013 11:09 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - BP is warning investors that the price tag will be higher than initially estimated for its multibillion-dollar settlement with businesses and residents who claim the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico cost them money. The oil giant estimated last year it would spend roughly $7.8... more »

• Lafourche president awaits ethics ruling

  March 8, 2013 11:01 AM

  BATON ROUG - Lafourche Parish President Charlotte Randolph is awaiting a state ethics panel's decision regarding the renting of her Grand Isle camp to BP after the 2010 oil spill. The Daily Comet reports (http://bit.ly/YHJzHh ) that Randolph and her husband, George, defended their motives Thursday at an ethics hearing.... more »

• BP exec back on the stand in oil spill trial

  February 28, 2013 10:26 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - A BP executive who led the company's internal probe of the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico says his investigators didn't explore whether top BP managers had a role in causing the disaster because they didn't have access to employees and records from contractors. Mark... more »

• Judge watches videotape of ex-BP CEO's testimony

  February 27, 2013 10:42 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - The judge in the Gulf of Mexico oil spill trial has watched videotaped testimony from former BP chief executive Tony Hayward. Hayward was head of the London-based oil giant in 2010 when there was an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig. Eleven workers were killed and... more »

• BP executive testifies at Gulf oil spill trial

  February 26, 2013 6:41 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - The first BP executive to testify at a trial spawned by the massive 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has taken the stand. Lamar McKay was president of BP America at the time of the disaster. He is the trial's second witness and is expected... more »

• Expert testifies BP cuts led to Gulf oil disaster

  February 26, 2013 10:30 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - The first testimony in the civil trial over the Gulf oil spill came from an expert who said he found evidence the company's penchant for cutting costs led to the disaster. Robert Bea, a University of California Berkeley engineering professor, said BP PLC did not put... more »

• High-stakes trial resumes over 2010 Gulf oil spill

  February 26, 2013 9:15 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - A University of California-Berkeley engineer who played a prominent role in investigating levee breeches in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina is scheduled to be the first witness Tuesday at a trial over the worst offshore oil spill in U.S. history. Robert Bea is an expert witness for... more »

• Trial set to open for Gulf oil spill litigation

  February 25, 2013 7:17 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - The high-stakes Gulf oil spill trial has started with a lawyer criticizing BP by saying company executives put enormous pressure on drilling managers to cut costs and rush the job. Jim Roy is an attorney for individuals and businesses affected by the spill. He says BP repeatedly... more »

• Judge approves Transocean's $1B spill settlement

  February 19, 2013 10:41 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge today approved Transocean Ltd.'s agreement with the Justice Department to pay $1 billion in civil penalties for its role in the massive 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier said in his ruling Tuesday that he found... more »

• Oil sheen spotted after barge collision on Miss. River

  February 15, 2013 10:48 AM

  BATON ROUGE- The Coast Guard says a collision between two barges spilled less than 400 gallons of oil into the Mississippi River at the Port of Greater Baton Rouge. No injuries were reported after one of the barges struck another that was offloading fuel at a transfer station Thursday night.... more »

• Coast Guard: Barge leaked 7,000 gallons of oil

  January 30, 2013 7:03 AM

  VICKSBURG, Miss. - With more than 50 vessels idling on the water for a fourth day, authorities say they still don't know when they will be able to reopen a stretch of the Mississippi River that has been closed due to an oil spill near Vicksburg. Coast Guard Petty Officer... more »

• Next in BP spill saga: civil trial worth billions

  January 30, 2013 6:38 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - Now that the U.S. Justice Department's criminal probe of BP PLC is resolved, the company faces billions of dollars more in civil penalties for its role in the 2010 massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. On Tuesday, a federal judge agreed to let the London-based... more »

• Judge OKs $4B BP oil spill criminal settlement

  January 29, 2013 12:23 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge has approved an agreement for BP PLC to plead guilty to manslaughter and other charges and pay a record $4 billion in criminal penalties for the company's role in the massive 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. BP agreed in November to... more »

• Judge to rule on BP's plea deal over Gulf spill

  January 29, 2013 6:28 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge will decide whether to approve an agreement for BP PLC to plead guilty to manslaughter and other charges and pay a record $4 billion in criminal penalties for the company's role in the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. U.S. District Judge... more »

• Miss. River remains closed after barge accident

  January 29, 2013 6:14 AM

  VICKSBURG, Miss. - The Coast Guard says nearly four dozen vessels are stacked up on the Mississippi River near Vicksburg, awaiting clearance as crews work around the clock to clean up an oil spill. Coast Guard spokesman Jonathan Lally told The Associated Press early Tuesday workers are skimming oily water... more »

• Barge hits Miss. River bridge: Oil cleanup ongoing

  January 28, 2013 8:49 AM

  JACKSON, Miss.- The Coast Guard says a normally bustling stretch of the Mississippi River remains closed to barge and ship traffic as cleanup crews with booms work to remove an oily sheen near Vicksburg after a barge with 80,000 gallons of oil hit a railroad bridge last weekend. Coast Guard... more »

• Bayou Sorrel oil spill bigger than original estimate Play Video

  January 23, 2013 6:19 PM

  BAYOU SORREL - On January 3, 2013, a pipeline burst spilling over 100 barrels of crude oil into the Frog Lake area of Bayou Sorrel. Firefighters and Hazmat crews initiated a controlled burn last Saturday, which was unsuccessful. After a helicopter flyover this morning, the U.S. Coast Guard confirmed... more »

• Bayou Sorrel pipeline investigation continues

  January 23, 2013 10:43 AM

  BAYOU SORREL - The U.S. Coast Guard reported last week a pipeline burst into the Frog Lake area of Bayou Sorrel. Firefighters and Hazmat crews initiated a controlled burn last Saturday, which was unsuccessful. Today, in a flyover of the spill area, the USCG learned the spill may... more »

• Oil spill to be burned off Saturday

  January 18, 2013 9:53 PM

  BAYOU SORREL- The Coast Guard will perform a controlled burn after 5,000 gallons of oil leaked from a pipeline in Iberville Parish. The burn will happen Saturday. The leak was reported on January 9th at the Frog Lake Bayou Sorrel facility, owned by ORB Exploration. 1,750 gallons have... more »

• Blast victims' relatives weigh in on BP plea deal

  January 16, 2013 10:17 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - Relatives of workers killed in the Deepwater Horizon rig explosion are sharing their stories with the judge who will decide whether to accept a plea deal that calls for BP PLC to pay a record $4.5 billion in penalties for the 2010 disaster. Wednesday is the deadline... more »

• Federal judge delays ex-BP engineer's trial

  January 14, 2013 4:20 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge has agreed to postpone the trial of a former BP engineer charged with deleting text messages about the company's response to the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Kurt Mix's trial was scheduled to start Feb. 25, but U.S. District Judge Stanwood... more »

• La. AG's oil spill tab nears $24M

  January 14, 2013 2:48 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Louisiana's attorney general has spent nearly $24 million building the state's legal case against BP over the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill. And records show much of the money has gone to outside law firms that have contributed to his campaigns. The $15.4 million that Attorney... more »

• BP: Government overestimated size of spill

  January 11, 2013 3:24 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - BP has urged a federal judge to rule the company can't be penalized for millions of gallons of oil that spewed from its blown-out well but was captured before it could spill into the Gulf of Mexico. A court filing Friday by BP says the federal government... more »

• BP settlement payments exceed $1B mark

  January 10, 2013 7:33 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - Businesses and individuals who claim BP's oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico cost them money have been paid more than $1 billion through the company's class-action settlement with private plaintiffs' attorneys. Court-supervised claims administrator Patrick Juneau says payments hit the $1 billion mark before the... more »

• Transocean spill settlement heads to court

  January 9, 2013 7:38 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - Transocean Ltd. is scheduled to make an initial court appearance in New Orleans Wednesday for its plea agreement with the Justice Department over the company's role in the massive 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Transocean has agreed to pay $400 million in criminal... more »

• Transocean's $1.4B oil spill deal will help Gulf

  January 4, 2013 7:14 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - A $1.4 billion settlement between the Justice Department and Deepwater Horizon rig owner Transocean Ltd. will pump hundreds of millions of dollars into projects designed to help the Gulf Coast recover from the nation's largest offshore oil spill. U.S. Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana said... more »

• La. to see millions from Transocean settlement

  January 3, 2013 3:47 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - Louisiana lawmakers trumpeted the fact that the state will see hundreds of millions of dollars as part of the federal government's $1.4 billion settlement with Transocean today over the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The final terms of the settlement require Transocean, which owned the drilling rig... more »

• BP worker loses appeal over court-ordered exam

  January 3, 2013 2:48 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal appeals court has refused to overturn a ruling that a BP rig supervisor must submit to a medical exam to determine if he is fit to be questioned under oath for civil litigation spawned by the company's Gulf oil spill. A three-judge panel from the... more »

• Feds nearing deal with Transocean over Gulf spill

  January 3, 2013 11:06 AM

  NEW ORLEANS- The Justice Department is nearing a $1.4 billion settlement with Transocean Ltd., the owner of the drilling rig that sank after an explosion killed 11 workers and spawned the massive 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Two people with knowledge of the negotiations say Switzerland-based Transocean... more »

• Feds say delay worsened 2011 oil spill

  January 2, 2013 1:07 PM

  BILLINGS, Mont. - Federal investigators say Exxon Mobil Corp.'s delayed response to a pipeline break beneath Montana's Yellowstone River made the spill far worse than it otherwise would have been. Department of Transportation investigators say the volume of the 1,500-barrel spill could have been cut by about two-thirds if pipeline... more »

• No oil spill seen at Shell drill ship in Alaska

  January 1, 2013 11:26 AM

  ANCHORAGE, Alaska - An overnight Coast Guard flight over an Alaska drilling rig that ran aground in shallow water on New Year's Eve found no signs of a fuel spill. But officials at a unified command center run by the Coast Guard, Royal Dutch Shell PLC, state responders and others... more »

• Judge approves settlement in BP class action suit

  December 22, 2012 9:50 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge has given final approval to BP's settlement with businesses and individuals who lost money because of the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill. BP PLC estimates it will pay $7.8 billion to cover economic and medical claims from more than 100,000 businesses and individuals.... more »

• Source of persistent Gulf sheen remains a mystery

  December 18, 2012 4:19 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - Officials say underwater inspections at the site of BP's Deepwater Horizon rig disaster have failed to identify the source of a persistent sheen on the surface of the Gulf of Mexico. The Coast Guard said Tuesday that the recent inspections confirmed BP's Macondo well, which blew out... more »

• Judge sets date to rule on BP plea deal over spill

  December 11, 2012 4:48 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge says she will decide next month whether to accept a plea deal that calls for BP PLC to pay a record $4.5 billion in penalties for its role in a deadly 2010 rig explosion and the massive oil spill it triggered in the Gulf... more »

• Ex-BP executive seeks trial delay in spill case

  December 7, 2012 8:56 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - A former BP executive is asking a federal judge to postpone his trial on charges he concealed information from Congress about the amount of oil that was spewing from the company's blown-out well in 2010. A trial for David Rainey is scheduled to start Jan. 28.... more »

• Feds funnel millions into Gulf Coast

  December 5, 2012 7:29 AM

  HOUSTON - A report released to The Associated Press says one federal agency has already committed more than a half-billion dollars to the Gulf Coast in the past two years, nearly one-fifth of it on projects directly linked to recovery from the 2010 oil spill. The U.S. Department of... more »

• 3 BP employees arraigned on Gulf oil spill charges

  November 28, 2012 3:44 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - Two BP rig supervisors and a former BP executive have pleaded not guilty to criminal charges in the deadly Deepwater Horizon rig explosion and the company's response to the massive 2010 spill in the Gulf of Mexico. BP well site leaders Robert Kaluza and Donald Vidrine and... more »

• BP arraigned in oil spill case, pleads not guilty

  November 27, 2012 3:21 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A lawyer for BP PLC entered a not-guilty plea for the company as it was arraigned on charges stemming from a deadly 2010 rig explosion and massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The plea Tuesday in federal court was a procedural move paving the... more »

• Road re-opened after fire, oil spill

  November 23, 2012 11:32 AM

  BATON ROUGE - A fire destroyed a bus maintenance building this morning and spilled oil into the nearby streets, according the Baton Rouge Fire Department. The building at 7106 Greenwell Springs Road and equipment inside were a total loss, according to Curt Monte with BRFD. The fire was... more »

• Oysters available for holiday tables

  November 20, 2012 4:03 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - Grocers and a leading oyster processor in Louisiana say supplies for holiday tables appear to be ample this year, but the news is not all good. The state Wildlife and Fisheries Department said late Tuesday that commercial oyster harvests east of the Mississippi River are at historic... more »

• BP executive charged with lying to authorities

  November 15, 2012 1:16 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - Two men who worked for BP during the 2010 Gulf oil spill disaster have been charged with manslaughter and a third with lying to federal investigators, according to indictments made public Thursday, hours after BP announced it was paying $4.5 billion in a settlement with the U.S.... more »

• BP settles with US for $4.5 billion in Gulf spill

  November 15, 2012 7:36 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder will speak in New Orleans about the government's $4.5 billion settlement with BP over the massive 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The Department of Justice said Holder and top U.S. officials will hold a news conference at 1:00 p.m.... more »

• Judge asked to extend deadline in BP settlement

  November 14, 2012 2:22 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - BP and a team of plaintiffs' attorneys are urging a federal judge to extend a deadline for businesses and individuals to revoke their requests to opt out of a proposed class-action settlement of economic damage claims spawned by the Gulf oil spill. Potential claimants had until Nov.... more »

• Federal judge urged to approve BP settlement

  November 8, 2012 10:49 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - BP PLC and a team of plaintiffs' attorneys are urging a federal judge to give final approval to a proposed class-action settlement of economic damage claims spawned by the massive 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier is holding a "fairness... more »

• Judge to hold fairness hearing on BP settlement

  November 8, 2012 7:47 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge in New Orleans is set to preside over a fairness hearing for a proposed class-action settlement of economic damage claims spawned by BP's 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. During Thursday's hearing, the London-based oil giant and a team of private... more »

• Recipients picked for BP tourism, seafood grants

  November 7, 2012 3:17 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - More than 100 nonprofit groups and government entities have been picked to get shares of $43.7 million in BP funds to promote the Gulf Coast's tourism and seafood industries following the company's 2010 oil spill. The first round of grants announced Wednesday by court-supervised claims administrator Patrick... more »

• Thousands opting out of BP spill settlement

  November 1, 2012 10:03 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - The architects of a proposed class-action settlement of claims spawned by the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico are confident it won't be derailed by thousands of businesses and individuals opting out of the deal. Thursday is the deadline for claimants to postmark written... more »

• Judge tosses BP fuel dealers' brand-name claims

  October 2, 2012 2:53 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge has dismissed claims by BP fuel dealers that the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico diminished the value of the oil giant's brand and cost them business. U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier's ruling Tuesday says the dealers' claims against BP PLC... more »

• After Isaac, oyster harvest struggles

  September 28, 2012 9:00 AM

  HOUMA - Hurricane Isaac wiped out many adult oysters in Louisiana waters, another blow to an industry that has been struggling in the wake of BP PLC's 2010 massive oil spill. But in a twist, the storm's raging waters also may have helped set the stage for better crops in... more »

• Study: Virtually all Ala. tar balls from BP spill

  September 20, 2012 3:59 PM

  AUBURN, Ala. - A new chemical analysis shows that virtually all the tar balls now washing on to the Alabama coast are directly linked to the BP oil spill more than two years ago. The report released Thursday by Auburn University says that tar balls caused by the spill are... more »

• Sen. Vitter labeled "most corrupt" for blocking pay raise after oil spill

  September 12, 2012 9:45 PM

  WASHINGTON, D.C.- Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington named Louisiana Senator David Vitter one of the "most corrupt." The organization names 20 members of Congress and says "most members on CREW's list violated the law and all flagrantly ignored the rules. For the majority, there have been few... more »

• Transocean, feds considered $1.5B settlement

  September 10, 2012 1:06 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - Transocean Ltd. and the Justice Department have discussed a $1.5 billion settlement that would resolve federal claims over the company's role in the 2010 rig explosion that led to the nation's worst offshore oil spill. But Switzerland-based Transocean Ltd. said in a regulatory filing Monday that several... more »

• ExxonMobil reports minor oil spill in Miss. River

  September 5, 2012 11:14 AM

  BATON ROUGE -A minor crude oil spill was reported this morning by the ExxonMobil Baton Rouge Refinery. Lana Sonnier Venable, ExxonMobil spokeswoman for Baton Rouge, said the spill in the river at its Mississippi River docks is less than five barrels of crude oil and was stopped immediately after... more »

• Feds vow to prove gross negligence by BP

  September 5, 2012 10:07 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - The Justice Department is urging a federal judge to ignore BP's assertion that the Gulf Coast's natural resources are making a "robust recovery" from its massive 2010 oil spill. In a strongly worded court filing, government lawyers also renewed their vow to prove BP engaged in... more »

• Study: Dispersants may have hurt Gulf food chain

  July 31, 2012 4:45 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A study on possible effects of the 2010 BP oil spill indicates dispersants may have killed plankton - some of the ocean's tiniest plants and creatures - and disrupted the food chain in the Gulf of Mexico, one of the nation's richest seafood grounds. Scientists say the... more »

• Coalition offers vision for Gulf restoration

  July 18, 2012 6:56 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - More than two years after the catastrophic BP oil spill, environmental groups say billions of dollars BP is expected to spend on restoration should go toward buying tens of thousands of acres of coastal land for conservation, rebuilding Louisiana's eroding wetlands and creating nearly 200 miles of... more »

• Oil dispersant maker asks judge to toss claims

  July 13, 2012 12:00 PM

  NEW ORLEANS- The manufacturer of a chemical dispersant used to fight the 2010 BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has asked a federal judge to dismiss claims over the government's use of its product. U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier didn't immediately rule Friday after hearing Illinois-based Nalco Co.'s... more »

• Study: Gulf oil spill might have lasting impact

  July 10, 2012 9:54 AM

  MOBILE - New research by an Auburn University professor and other scientists suggests that the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill could have significant impacts on microscopic life that might not become apparent for years. Auburn professor Ken Halanych and scientists from the University of New Hampshire, the University of... more »

• Congress OK's spending BP fines on Gulf

  June 29, 2012 3:53 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - Congress has voted to set aside 80 percent of water pollution fines BP PLC is expected to pay for its 2010 oil spill and spend that money on ecosystem and economic restoration in five Gulf states. The House and Senate included the provision in a transportation bill... more »

• BP, EEOC reach $5.4M deal over gender bias claims

  June 29, 2012 10:43 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - BP and its contractors have agreed to pay up to $5.4 million to resolve complaints that some women weren't considered for temporary jobs responding to the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill because of their gender. The agreement announced late Thursday ends an investigation by the Equal... more »

• New oil spill claims administrator meets with lawmakers Play Video

  June 28, 2012 5:54 PM

  BATON ROUGE - The new court appointed claims administrator for the BP oil spill made a stop at the State Capitol today. Pat Juneau of Lafayette replaced Kenneth Feinberg earlier this year. Today, he highlighted the work being done at more than a dozen claims centers, including one in... more »

• Judge caps contingency fees in BP settlement

  June 15, 2012 5:08 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge has imposed a 25 percent cap on contingency fees for attorneys whose clients resolve their claims against BP over the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico through a multibillion-dollar settlement agreement. U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier's ruling Friday says lawyers who believe... more »

• Jury sides with Costner in BP spill lawsuit

  June 15, 2012 2:21 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - Kevin Costner says his reputation was at stake as he defended himself against accusations that he cheated fellow actor Stephen Baldwin out of millions of dollars in a lucrative BP contract for oil-cleaning machines after the 2010 spill. Baldwin and a friend were seeking $17 million in... more »

• Sentencing in oil spill fraud case postponed

  June 13, 2012 6:34 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge has agreed to postpone a sentencing hearing for a woman who pleaded guilty to submitting a fraudulent claim for money from BP's oil spill compensation fund. Rokeisha Barrios was scheduled to be sentenced Wednesday, but U.S. District Judge Sarah Vance agreed to delay the... more »

• More dolphins turn up stranded in Texas

  June 12, 2012 9:24 AM

  GALVESTON, Texas - More than 120 dolphins have turned up stranded in Texas since last fall and researchers are trying to figure out why. Experts are looking at the 2010 BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. They're also looking at an algae bloom or other possible... more »

• Costner downplays Baldwin's role in BP deal

  June 8, 2012 12:37 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - Kevin Costner says he never saw fellow actor Stephen Baldwin contribute anything to their company's effort to sell oil cleanup devices to BP in the aftermath of the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Testifying Friday at the trial for Baldwin's lawsuit against him over... more »

• Gulfport man gets 12.5 years for oil spill fraud

  June 7, 2012 5:09 PM

  GULFPORT, Miss. - A Gulfport man, identified as the mastermind of a family scheme to illegally obtain about $100,000 in oil spill recovery money, has been sentenced to more than 12 years in prison. The Sun Herald reports U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden sentenced 50-year-old Bobby Earl Keys to 12½... more »

• Residents, businesses benefit from ExxonMobil oil spill

  June 5, 2012 5:54 PM

  LIVONIA- After an estimated 80,000 gallons of oil were cleaned up in Pointe Coupee Parish, residents and businesses are seeing a big benefit from ExxonMobil's cleanup effort. "I'm well pleased with Exxon and all their employees," said Melva Williams, who lives near the spill site, "If I had another... more »

• Pointe Coupee oil spill cleanup wrapping up

  June 5, 2012 10:40 AM

  TOLBERT- Cleanup efforts have completed at an oil spill site in Pointe Coupee Parish and now ExxonMobil is shifting to reclamation and remediation work. ExxonMobil says they've done everything they can to ensure a successful cleanup at the site where more than 80,000 gallons of oil reportedly spilled from... more »

• Trial opens for suit against Costner over BP deal

  June 4, 2012 10:48 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - Jury selection has begun in a legal fight between two Hollywood stars over investments in a device used to try to clean up BP's 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. In his lawsuit, actor Stephen Baldwin claims Kevin Costner and a business partner duped Baldwin... more »

• Judge outlines new plan for Gulf oil spill trial

  May 31, 2012 10:16 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge has outlined a new structure for a trial of Gulf oil spill claims that wouldn't be resolved by a proposed class-action settlement between BP PLC and a team of plaintiffs' attorneys. In an order Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier said the trial scheduled... more »

• Date pushed back for start of BP spill trial

  May 4, 2012 7:36 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge has pushed back the start of a civil trial for claims against BP PLC and other companies involved in the 2010 Gulf oil spill. U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier on Thursday set a date of Jan. 14, 2013. Trial had been scheduled to start... more »

• BP station owners want settlement money

  April 27, 2012 5:53 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - Owners of service stations that sell BP-brand fuel argue they have been unfairly excluded from the proposed class-action settlement of economic damage claims spawned by the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. In a court filing Friday, lawyers for two Georgia-based companies that sell fuel... more »

• Halliburton objects to Gulf spill settlement

  April 24, 2012 10:02 PM

  Cement contractor Halliburton is objecting to a proposed $7.8 billion settlement between BP and a plaintiffs group representing more than 100,000 victims of the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Halliburton said in a filing in federal court in New Orleans late Tuesday the settlement improperly seeks to... more »