Feds File Suit Against BP, Transocean & 7 Other Companies

The Department of Justice announced Wednesday that it is filing suit against BP and eight other companies for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The DOJ is seeking civil penalties under the Clean Water Act—which could add up to as much as $21 billion—and wants to declare eight of those companies "liable without limitation" for the costs of clean up and damage caused by the disaster.

The DOJ filed suit in the US District Court in New Orleans, arguing that all of the listed companies in some way "caused or contributed" to the oil spill. It lists BP, along with several companies under the parent corporations Anadarko and Transocean, along with MOEX Offshore 2007 LLC, Triton Asset Leasing GMBH, and QBE Underwriting Ltd./Lloyd’s Syndicate 1036 (BP’s insurer).

Here's the statement from Attorney General Holder:

"We intend to prove that these defendants are responsible for government removal costs, economic losses, and environmental damages without limitation," said Attorney General Holder. "Even though the spill has been contained, the Department’s focus on investigating this disaster and preventing future devastation has not wavered. Both our civil and criminal investigations continue, and our work to ensure that the American taxpayers are not forced to bear the costs of restoring the gulf area and its economy is moving forward."