Category: Florida Maritime News

Bill in Senate Plans to Use Oil Spill Fines to Restore Gulf Coast States

Posted in Alabama Maritime News,Environment,Florida Maritime News,Government,Gulf Coast,Mississippi Maritime News,Texas Maritime News on September 23, 2011

A bill has moved on to the full Senate for final consideration that would send 80 percent of oil spill fine money to Gulf Coast states.

Deepwater Horizon Final Report Completed by Joint Investigation Team

Posted in BP British Petroleum,Deepwater Horizon,Florida Maritime News,Government,Gulf Coast,Louisiana Maritime News,Maritime Accidents,Maritime Law,Texas Maritime News,US Coast Guard (USCG),World Maritime News on September 14, 2011

NEW ORLEANS, La. – The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) investigating the Deepwater Horizon disaster has issued its final report on the incident and has made it public on Sept 14, 2011. The JIT is composed of the United States Coast Guard (USCG) and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE)

Judge Barbier Allows Some Plaintiffs to Collect Punitive Damages in BP Gulf Oil Spill Lawsuits

Posted in BP British Petroleum,Deepwater Horizon,Environment,Florida Maritime News,Government,Gulf Coast,Louisiana Maritime News,Maritime Accidents,Maritime Law,Maritime Lawsuits,Mississippi Maritime News,Texas Maritime News,World Maritime News on September 1, 2011

NEW ORLEANS, La. – U.S. District Court Judge Carl Barbier in a major 39-page ruling dismissed all state law claims, but instead adopted an expansive view of economic damage that could result from the oil spill and said that some plaintiffs may be able to collect punitive damages from the companies involved in the Deepwater… read more

Coast Guard Seizes 7.5 Tons of Cocaine from Narco Sub (VIDEO)

Posted in Florida Maritime News on August 4, 2011

MIAMI, FL – The U.S. coast Guard unloaded over 7 tons of cocaine in Miami on Tuesday, Aug 2, that was seized from a submarine-like vessel off the coast of Honduras after suspected smugglers were intercepted allegedly transporting the drugs, worth an estimated $180m in mid-July.

Federal Magistrate Denies BP Request to Obtain White House Emails Related To Gulf Oil Spill Response

Posted in BP British Petroleum,Environment,Florida Maritime News,Government,Gulf Coast,Louisiana Maritime News,Maritime Accidents,Maritime Law,Maritime Lawsuits,World Maritime News on August 1, 2011

NEW ORLEANS, La. – BP, who was seeking a court order Wednesday, July 20, compelling the White House to turn over emails by a former top adviser to President Barack Obama, has been denied by U.S. Magistrate Sally Shushan.

BP Claims Fund Accused of Using Coercive Tactics to Force Victims to Agree to Final Settlements

Posted in Alabama Maritime News,BP British Petroleum,Deepwater Horizon,Environment,Florida Maritime News,Government,Gulf Coast,Louisiana Maritime News,Maritime Law,Maritime Lawsuits,Mississippi Maritime News,Texas Maritime News on July 28, 2011

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… read more

Louisiana Slated to Receive Largest Portion of BP Oil Spill Fines After Compromise

Posted in Alabama Maritime News,BP British Petroleum,Environment,Florida Maritime News,Government,Gulf Coast,Maritime Accidents,Texas Maritime News on July 25, 2011

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. Negotiations, which have stalled over the past several months on how to distribute billions… read more

Florida Victims Of BP Oil Spill Are Still Hurting

Posted in BP British Petroleum,Deepwater Horizon,Environment,Florida Maritime News on July 14, 2011

PENSACOLA, FL – It is 15 months after the devastating Gulf oil spill that occurred April 20, 2010 as a result of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion and Florida residents are still hurting economically. Florida’s top agriculture official, Adam Putnam, said that an untold number of residents whose livelihoods were disrupted have not yet… read more

BP Argues Most Gulf Oil Spill Victims Should Not Receive Any More Payouts

Posted in BP British Petroleum,Deepwater Horizon,Environment,Florida Maritime News,Government,Gulf Coast,Jones Act,Louisiana Maritime News,Maritime Law,Maritime Lawsuits,Mississippi Maritime News,World Maritime News on July 12, 2011

NEW ORLEANS, La —  BP Oil Company filed a 29 page document with the Gulf Coast Claims Facility on Friday, July 8, arguing that most Gulf Oil Spill victims should not receive anymore payouts for future losses. The oil company’s argument is that the hardest-hit areas are recovering and the economy is growing.

Gulf Oil Spill Senate Hearings Organized by Sen. Marco Rubio to Be Held in Pensacola

Posted in Deepwater Horizon,Florida Maritime News,Government,Gulf Coast,Maritime Accidents on June 30, 2011

WASHINGTON — A Senate hearing before the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee will be held in Pensacola on July 11, 2011 where business leaders from Florida’s Panhandle will describe the region’s economic and environmental recovery from last year’s Gulf of Mexico oil spill. Witnesses at the hearing will include Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll; Collier Merrill,… read more