What would an appropriate penalty be for BP's destruction of an entire ecosystem?

BP (British Petroleum) is currently mired in a little bit of an environmental catastrophe. They are behind what could end up being one of the largest oil spills on record. What do you think a fair penalty would be for such a company?

Here is an article that lays out some of BP's stellar record. To date, not including this current disaster,

BP has paid $485 million in fines and settlements to the US government for environmental crimes, willful neglect of worker safety rules, and penalties for manipulating energy markets.

$485 million sounds like a lot of money but it is really chump change for a company that just made a profit of $5.6 billion last quarter alone.

For comparison's sake, Microsoftpaid a fine of $1.3 billion for bundling internet explorer in its Windows operating system. Intel was fined $1.45 billion for offering rebates to companies that sold their products. Yet a company like BP has

Killed Workers,caused ecological disastersl, Manipulated markets multiple times

So honestly, with a track record like this and an entire ecosystem in the balance, what would a just penalty be for a company like this?

Originally posted by Karlhungis


So honestly, with a track record like this and an entire ecosystem in the balance, what would a just penalty be for a company like this?

The cost of clean-up.

It is just some oil. Life goes on.

Nationalization of its infrastructure.

And all its CEOs have to scrub rocks, preferably with their tongue (in cheek).

I miss your old avatar.

I would like to see them give up a couple quarters of their profits, but that is just me. The current fines are not even a slap on the wrist. They obviously have many politicians in their pockets and heads up lobbyists on their payroll.

Companies engaging in this type of oil mining should have to put the money up front as a deposit to cover a worst case scenario of something going bad.

I wonder how many people are still walking around like parrots going "Drill baby, drill"?

Does anyone else find it odd that Halliburton had worked on this oil platform?

Originally posted by Exuberant1

The cost of clean-up.

It is just some oil. Life goes on.

No it doesn't, the ecosystems die off. Petroleum is toxic to sea life. From coral to anemones, to anthropoids, to shellfish, all are easily affected by minute amounts of toxic material.

The truth is, these companies should have a 3 strike rule with large disasters.

3 Disasters and you forfeit any profit for the next 10 years.

BP don't own the god dam thing.

They are only renting it from these guys www.deepwater.com...

There was only 6 people who work for BP on the Platform. It is Transocean's fault this has happened. It is their oil rig, Their workers.

reply to post by Karlhungis


Oh God don't get me going on that one.

We are screwing up our beautiful lush wonderful planet big time.

Make BP and the ship builder pay through the nose to clean it all up, even if it means bankrupting the companies involved, but that will never happen.

The Companies involved will find legal loop holes and take years to dilly dally.

If I were President, I would make BP hire as many people as it takes to try to clean up this mess NOW, I'de levy a "pollution tax" on them so heavy they would have to go bankrupt.

Hit them where it hurts $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

My husband works with and knows a lot about "oil" and a complete clean up is almost impossible.

Not to mention the loss of sea life.

How would you like it if someone dumped massive amounts of oil on you, your house and your neighborhood.

We're polluting our air, water, dirt (with pesticides, spent radiation and our garbage).

When will humanity grow up.

[edit on 2-5-2010 by ofhumandescent]

[edit on 2-5-2010 by ofhumandescent]

Originally posted by Exuberant1


It is just some oil. Life goes on.

I disagree.

You cannot drink oil.

Tons of life DIED....

BP should pay every penny in profits. And should have their corporate charter revoked.

This is UNACCEPTABLE NEGLIGENCE.

Can they bring all the suffocated birds back to life?
Can they cause the turtles oil-globbed eggs to hatch anyway?

Can they revive the shrimp, oyster, and fish industry?
Can they restore the millions of jobs that will be lost?

Can they erase the sticky oil blotched beaches?


The article says the company has already displayed willful neglect of safety for their own workers. If this is true, can we really expect them to be environmentally conscious?

Penalty: restore everything they have damaged and killed.

reply to post by Exuberant1


Actually, what I think the OP is asking is "Should agenda, as came into play with the EU's Microsoft verdict and fine, come into play in the BP oil spill?"

Seeing as I haven't seen or heard any evidence of BP planning and executing a premeditated plan to destroy their own oil drilling rig and thereby cause a large oil spill, I think making them responsible for all the cleanup costs would be fair also. Wonder how the OP would feel if after being caught in a traffic violation, the judge determined the fine as a percentage of his annual income?

Originally posted by Exuberant1
The cost of clean-up.

It is just some oil. Life goes on.

Wow! "Just some oil"? Are you serious? It's A LOT of oil. It's going to mess with an entire ecosystem.

I'm pretty sure the bird in the picture below is usually white. By the way, they're feeding it some pepto-bismol.

Originally posted by Luke.S
BP don't own the god dam thing.

They are only renting it from these guys www.deepwater.com...

There was only 6 people who work for BP on the Platform. It is Transocean's fault this has happened. It is their oil rig, Their workers.

Than both Transocean and BP should be looted for all they are worth.

Hell I wouldn't mind seeing all the other Oil corps looted as well. Even though they didn't have anything to do with it.

I am vindictive though.

We had..."Too big to fail..."

We'll have..."Too big to prosecute..."

And, unfortunately..."Too big to fix..."


[edit on 2-5-2010 by loam]

reply to post by muzzleflash

BP should pay every penny in profits. And should have their corporate charter revoked.

This is UNACCEPTABLE NEGLIGENCE.

Totally agree. You said it best!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Originally posted by Exuberant1

Originally posted by Karlhungis


So honestly, with a track record like this and an entire ecosystem in the balance, what would a just penalty be for a company like this?

The cost of clean-up.

It is just some oil. Life goes on.

Sorry, but not even close.

reply to post by Ferris.Bueller.II

Wonder how the OP would feel if after being caught in a traffic violation, the judge determined the fine as a percentage of his annual income?

An interesting question that I think would be worth exploring. Especially in cases like this where companies make so much money that safety and ethics mean nothing. Otherwise, if you have enough money, you simply end up being above the law. And this has been shown to be the case quite a bit recently.

Because we all know, traffic violations are totally equal to 1)destroying thousands of businesses 2) killing millions of lifeforms and 3) ruining a whole section of ocean for years to come.

Yep totally equal.

Let's give BP a 25$ ticket and send them on their way.

reply to post by BrandonK


Yes the loss of sealife will be astronomical.

Normally I don't believe in capital punishment, war or any murder but in this case, I don't know, I'm coming close.

The oil companies involved should be made accountable for this and now.

As stated before, my husband works with and knows a lot about oil and it's virtually impossible to completely clean up. This gunk will be there for centuries.

Now don't get me started on the spent radiation we're burying all over the western part of our deserts. But shhhhhhhh (that's a secret).

Start researching that one.

IDK really


One consideration is the eco system, the other is the people who are now screwed
because their ecosystem has been screwed...

My girl who was their a couple days back says it is already starting to smell,
this may prove to make the city really undesirable to even visit.

So I am not sure...

I do like the Knights of the Elites Table who have come to the defense of their lords
pocket books via this thread, that is marvelous and thats all I am certain of.

[edit on 2-5-2010 by Janky Red]

Sorry for my ignorance but this disaster is not a profound and the Valdez incident off of Alaska. Infact its no where near it. The Valdez put 11,000,000 barrels into the sea in a very short period of time. This current incident so far has only put 4,000,000 million barrels into the sea.

I have read that because its leaking from a well, the pressure is slowing its leak and at worst it will only leak about 6,000,000 barrels before they can reseal it. It is also stated that oils effect in warmer water isnt as devistating as in cold water such as what happened with the Valdez.

I'm not saying BP should be let off with it, just merely saying it may nit be as bad as people think it is.

Lets hope they can plug it soon...