They know it's not likely that oil from the Gulf spill will reach us, but officials in 11 East Coast states, including Connecticut, want to ensure that people get paid if it does reach our shores.
“Even without oil actually reaching the Connecticut shoreline, this massive oil spill could still impose damage and destruction to the entire Atlantic coastline," Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said in a statement issued on Monday.
Blumenthal said the notice was sent to Transocean, Halliburton, and Cameron, which are other companies linked to the spill, and the states want assurance from BP that legitimate claims would be recognized.
Blumenthal, who is running as a Democrat for U.S. Senate, has helped form a coalition that includes attorneys generals and governors from both parties from Maryland, Delaware, Georgia, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island and South Carolina.
Blumenthal is also asking BP to preserve all documents related to the spill and response.
BP says it will set up a $20 billion fund for damage claims resulting from its well rupture, according to MSNBC. Thespill might be spewing up to 100,000 barrels of oil per day into seas off the U.S. coast, reports Reuters.
