(NECN/AP: Washington) - The Justice Department has sued BP Exploration
and Production Inc. and eight other companies in the Gulf oil spill
disaster in an effort to recover billions of dollars from the
largest offshore oil spill in U.S. history.
The Obama administration's lawsuit asks that eight companies be
held liable without limitation for all removal costs and damages
caused by the oil spill, including damages to natural resources.
The lawsuit also seeks civil penalties under the Clean Water Act.
An explosion that killed 11 workers at BP's Macondo well last
April led to oil spewing from the company's undersea well - more
than 200 million gallons in all, by the government's estimate. BP
disputes the figure.
*Material from The Associated Press used in this report*
