Texas Sues BP…But Not over Oil Spill

[The Straight Story]

Texas Sues BP…But Not over Oil Spill

BP is being sued by the state of Texas for excess pollution that has nothing to do with the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. In April and May, while all eyes were on the broken well that released millions of gallons of oil into the ocean, BP’s Texas City refinery released 538,000 pounds of pollutants into the atmosphere, including 17,000 pounds of the carcinogen benzene.

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott said BP was motivated by profits in allowing the harmful gases to leak into the air. “BP made very little attempt to minimize the emission of air contaminants caused by its actions, once again prioritizing profits over environmental compliance,” states Abbott’s lawsuit.

Abbott is already suing BP over other incidents of pollution at the same refinery, where in 2005 an explosion killed 15 workers and injured 180 others.

On August 3, workers at the refinery and residents of Texas City also filed a class action suit over the April-May pollution releases. More than 12,000 workers and residents have already signed on as plaintiffs in the suit.

http://www.allgov.com/Top_Stories/ViewNews/Texas_Sues_BP__But_Not_over_Oil_Spill_100811