BP

WASHINGTON -- May 21, 2008 – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) convened a hearing this morning to examine the explosive rise in oil prices in recent months. The hearing featured testimony from executives of five major oil companies – ExxonMobil, ConocoPhillips, Chevron, BP America and Shell.

Exxon building, Houston, Texas: Photo by Tom Haymes (CC)    » read more »

Washington, D.C. -- May 21, 2008 -- Senator Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned the top oil industry executives on the skyrocketing price of oil at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing.

In his opening remarks, Senator Specter noted the primacy of the problem:

Gas prices, May 2008: Photo by aaron@digtialcole (CC)

“We are obviously in a crisis, national, international, with the escalating costs of oil and the intolerable prices of gasoline at the pump. It's important that we bear all of our resources to try to figure out what to do about it.”    » read more »

February 12, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. --U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Barack Obama (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Rahm Emanuel (D-IL) today sent a letter to the Regional Administrator of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) - Region V, Mary A. Gade, asking for a comprehensive analysis of the draft air and construction permits that were recently issued by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) for the proposed expansion of BP's oil refinery in Whiting, Indiana.    » read more »

February 12, 2008 -- [WASHINGTON, D.C.] —U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Barack Obama (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Rahm Emanuel (D-IL) today sent a letter to the Regional Administrator of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – Region V, Mary A. Gade, asking for a comprehensive analysis of the draft air and construction permits that were recently issued by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) for the proposed expansion of BP’s oil refinery in Whiting, Indiana.    » read more »

December 31, 2007, Anchorage, Alaska – Alaska Governor Sarah Palin today announced that the State of Alaska and BP Exploration (Alaska) Incorporated have resolved a tax dispute concerning outstanding corporate income tax liabilities.

The taxes related to disputed amounts for tax years 2000 through 2002. Alaska tax statutes require the specific terms and conditions of the dispute and agreement to be kept confidential.

“I am very pleased with this settlement and appreciate BP’s willingness to work with the State of Alaska and come to a fair resolution,” Governor Palin said.    » read more »

HICAGO, Nov. 30, 2007 - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 today notified BP Products North America Inc. of alleged violations of multiple Clean Air Act requirements at its Whiting, Ind., refinery.

EPA alleged that the BP Whiting refinery, located at 2815 Indianapolis Blvd:

* failed to obtain a permit when it made major modifications to its fluidized catalytic cracking unit. The unpermitted modification caused significant increases of nitrogen oxide (NOx), sulfur dioxide (SO2), particulate matter (PM10), and carbon monoxide (CO) emissions.    » read more »

Washington, D.C., Oct. 25, 2007 -- Today, BP Products North America, Inc. agreed to pay a total criminal fine of more than $60 million for violations of federal environmental regulations in Texas and Alaska. In addition to the penalty, the company will spend approximately $400 million on safety upgrades and improvements to prevent future chemical releases and spills.    » read more »