MARITIME LAWYER NEWS

Archive for the ‘Alabama Maritime News’ Category

GULF SHORES, AL. — Officials said Tuesday, Sept 6, that they plan to test black and brown tar balls that have washed up on Alabama’s prime tourist beaches due to Hurricane Lee to see whether it is related to the April 20, 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

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NEW ORLEANS, La – Lawyers for victims of the April 20, 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill say that BP is using “coercive tactics” to force the victims to agree to final settlements with its claims fund.

Attorneys representing property owners, businesses and others claiming harm say victims have been forced to sign releases for inadequate payments because they could no longer afford to wait for full compensation. ... Read Full Story

WASHINGTON — Louisiana appears to be the frontrunner in a senate compromise proposal of the plan to distribute Clean Water Act fine money and is likely to get the biggest chunk of remaining money, which is largely reserved for environmental restoration.

Mary Landrieu, D-Senator from Louisiana, announces compromise on oil spill fine legislation.

Negotiations, which have stalled over the past several months on how to distribute billions of dollars in expected oil spill fine revenue largely over a fight among the states in order to get as much money as possible, appears to have reached a conclusion. ... Read Full Story

WASHINGTON – Attorney General Eric Holder has annouced Wednesday, July 20, that an independent audit will be performed on the $20 billion fund set up to compensate victims of the BP oil spill.

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NEW ORLEANS, LA – Relatives of oil rig workers who perished in the explosion and fire of the Deepwater Horizon in the Gulf of Mexico on April 20, 2010 are being flown over the site of the disaster one year later.

Transocean, Ltd, the company who owned the ill-fated oil rig has invited up to three members of each family to attend the flyover. A helicopter was used to transport them to the spot where the disaster occurred in the Gulf. It was expected that the helicopter would circle the site a few times. ... Read Full Story

WASHINGTON DC – It is being reported that the claims process is difficult and puzzling for some businesses and workers who have filed claims against the BP $20 billion oil spill fund.

Almost one year after the disaster, some claimants from Alabama and Mississippi have reported that they have still not been paid while others with nearly identical circumstances have. ... Read Full Story

JACKSON, MS – The Mississippi Attorney General, Jim Hood has asked a District Judge to intervene on behalf of claimants in the $20 billion BP Oil Spill fund causing some friction with the fund administrator, Kenneth Feinberg.

BP Oil Spill fund administrator, Kenneth Feinberg

In New Orleans, U.S. District Judge, Carl Barbier has been asked by attorneys general from four states (Florida, Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi) to monitor the administration of the BP Oil Spill fund. ... Read Full Story

NEW ORLEANS, La. – In order to ward off fraud and justify payments for thousands of Gulf oil spill claimants, Kenneth Feinberg, the administrator of BP’s compensation fund, is requiring proof of losses in order to process claims.

Feinberg has been criticized for delays in handling some claims but in thousands of cases claimants have not provided enough documentation to prove losses. ... Read Full Story

NEW ORLEANS — According to The Coast Guard, the oil spill cleanup of oiled beaches along the Gulf of Mexico has reached a point where crews, heavy equipment and thorough scrubbing can cause more damage to the ecosystem than good. There are 4,265 people still involved in the cleanup and response on 544 miles of coast.

The Coast Guard said that it is better to let the oil remnants slowly degrade rather than harm sea life by an aggressive cleanup. Recent oil samples show weathered oil found along beaches has lost the majority of the toxic compounds in it and the oil left on shores meets federal safety thresholds for people, the Coast Guard said. ... Read Full Story

FT. MORGAN BEACH, AL – The Mobile Press Register reports that Alabama’s Fort Morgan peninsula is “awash in tarballs” and other oiled debris after strong currents pushed the materials inland in recent days. In response, BP has dispatched cleanup crews to the area.

“While most of the oil has been removed, BP will continue to clean all oiled areas until the job is done. BP is working with state and federal agencies, as well as local communities, to determine when the job will be officially completed.” ... Read Full Story