The federal government recently filed suit against several major oil companies claiming that they illegally dumped contaminated material into a waste disposal facility in Louisiana. Among the defandants named in the law suit are BP North America, Davis Oil Company, Kerr-McGee Oil & Gas Onshore and Franks Petroleum Corporation. The government claims it cost nearly $3 million to clean up the site. Feds are seeking to hold the oil companies jointly and severally liable. That means the government could recover the entire clean up costs from any of the defendants regardless of their individual role or liability.
The case is United States v. Franks Petroleum Corp. et al., No. 07-0337, complaint filed (W.D. La. Feb. 23, 2007).
Source: http://news.lp.findlaw.com/andrews/en/haz/20070306/20070306_frankspetroleum.html
