WASHINGTON (November 15, 2012) – Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) the leading investigator into the BP oil spill, released the following statement on early reports of the settlement between BP and the Department of Justice related to criminal charges and fines related to the company’s 2010 oil spill. The settlement reportedly a guilty plea of obstruction for lying to the United States Congress related to the size of the spill.
 
A full timeline of Rep. Markey’s investigation into the size of the spill is available HERE.
 
The statement of Rep. Markey, the top Democrat on the Natural Resources Committee, is below:
 
“The fines and penalties that the Justice Department has demanded BP pay are appropriate for such a massive disaster. People died, BP lied to Congress, and millions of barrels of oil poured into the Gulf. This steep cost to BP will provide the Gulf coast some of the funds needed to restore the region, and will hopefully deliver some comfort and closure to the families and businesses affected by the spill.”
 
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