Environmental Groups Sue EPA Over Chemicals Used In Oil Spill Cleanup

A coalition of environmental groups from five states filed a lawsuit  Monday in federal court claiming the Environmental Protection Agency rules on chemical dispersants used in oil spill cleanups do not adhere to clean water standards.

The lawsuit says the EPA has not published regulations on acceptable use of such dispersants in response to oil spills. More than 1.8 million gallons of chemical dispersants were poured into the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 during the Deepwater Horizon disaster despite little knowledge of possible effects, according to the groups.

An EPA spokeswoman said the agency had no immediate comment on the lawsuit. The White House has said the chemical dispersants used during the oil spill in the Gulf helped prevent greater environmental damage, but a study published recently says the chemicals may have disrupted the Gulf’s food chain and killed plankton.

The maritime law attorneys at Schechter, Shaffer & Harris, L.L.P., Accident & Injury Lawyers are currently representing numerous individuals affected by the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig.