Justice Department, EPA, and DOT file asbestos demolish lawsuit against BPXA.
Anchorage, AK (JusticeNewsFlash.com)–The United States federal government filed a civil complaint in U.S. District Court in Anchorage, Alaska on March 31, 2009. The legal action filed by lawyers with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) www.usdoj.gov, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) www.epa.gov and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) www.dot.gov alleges BP Exploration Inc., violated the Clean Air Act by failing to comply with federal regulations when workers removed asbestos containing materials from its pipelines.
BPXA, a subsidiary owned by BP America, is an oil production company. The company explores oil sites, drills for oil, and produces oil for refinement in the largest North American oil field in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. Federal court documents filed by U.S. attorneys claim the oil company failed to comply with a Corrective Action Order the Department of Transportation-Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) previously issued. Federal investigators found the company and its oil workers had violated federal pipeline safety laws and were not properly handling and disposing of asbestos containing materials.
The asbestos abatement project by BPXA was determined to be causing direct and secondary exposure of toxic asbestos fibers to oil pipeline workers, Alaskan consumers, and the environment. The oil drilling and exploration corporation failed to comply with the ordered testing, inspection, maintenance, and repair of the company’s oil pipelines. Asbestos is a known toxic fiber found in the lining and insulation of pipes. Inhalation of toxic asbestos fibers can cause serious illnesses, including malignant mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis.
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