"When the Obama administration temporarily banned BP from federal contracts Wednesday, it pointed to BP's 'lack of business integrity' and conduct relating to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon explosion and spill. The sanction, however, has been years in the making."
"BP has been criminally convicted in four previous cases — including a 2005 explosion in Texas that killed 15 workers — and the EPA has been considering broader debarment proceedings against the company since at least 2005. The agency had actually been nearing a decision on a contract ban in January 2010, just a few months before the Deepwater Horizon tragedy unfolded, killing 11 workers and sending more than 200 million gallons of oil into the sea."
Abrahm Lustgarten reports for ProPublica November 29, 2012.
SEE ALSO:
"Too Big to Obey: Whether BP Is De-barred Up to DOD and (Hopefully) the White House" (Center for Progressive Reform)
"Discussion: What Do EPA Sanctions Mean for BP’s Future?" (ProPublica)
"EPA Officials Weigh Sanctions Against BP’s U.S. Operations" (ProPublica)
"EPA Slaps BP But Punishes the Pentagon" (Center for Public Integrity)
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