Carper Responds To Administration’s $69 Million Bill To BP

WASHINGTON – Today, Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.), Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, responds to the Obama Administration’s invoice of $69.09 million sent to BP and other responsible parties for response and recovery operations relating to the BP/Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. The Administration said it will continue to bill BP regularly for all associated costs to ensure the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund is reimbursed on an ongoing basis.

As the responsible party, BP is required to pay all costs associated with the response to the spill, including efforts to stop the leak at its source, reduce the spread of oil, protect the shoreline and mitigate damages, including economic damages suffered by all the individuals and communities impacted by the spill. President Obama has also said the federal government will seek reimbursement for any and all costs borne by the federal government, in responding to this incident. 

"The Gulf of Mexico oil spill may end up being one of the most costly environmental disasters in history, and American taxpayers shouldn’t be left holding the bag," said Sen. Carper. "I am pleased to hear that President Obama and his administration are taking steps to ensure that those responsible for the spill reimburse the government for every dime spent on the cleanup and response. The tab sent to BP today is likely the first of many, and I hope we can expect payment soon. 

"I look forward to questioning BP, Transocean, and White House officials later this month, when my Subcommittee explores the cost of this spill to the federal government and how we plan on getting the money back – both today and into the future. We must demand that the American people are not left on the hook for this disaster."

On June 16, Sen. Carper will hold a hearing to assess how much money the federal government has spent in responding to the oil spill, and how these expenses will be recouped.  The hearing will also explore potential vulnerabilities of the current claims processes and the future viability of the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund.  Planned witnesses include officials from BP, Transocean, National Pollution Funds Center, the White House, and the Government Accountability Office.

Last month, Sen. Carper participated in the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee’s hearing examining the issues surround the oil spill in the Gulf, including the impact on the economy and the environment. At that hearing questioned the representatives of corporations involved in the spill about the steps they were taking to make sure that any claims made out of the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund are not fraudulent or abusive and to ensure that taxpayers would not be forced to bailout the corporations for costs associated with the spill.