China's maritime authority said Tuesday it will sue the American company behind a massive oil spill off its northeast coast for "damage to the environment."
China
's
maritime authority said Tuesday it will sue the American company behind a
massive oil spill off its northeast coast for "damage to the
environment."
U.S.
oil
giant ConocoPhillips (COP) has said 2,100 barrels of oil leaked from the
platform it operates with a Chinese partner in
Bohai
Bay
.
The State Oceanic Administration website said it planned to sue ConocoPhillips
after the spill reportedly polluted beaches and killed marine life in the area.
"In June 2011, ConocoPhillips (
China
)'s
development of the Penglai 19-3 oilfield caused a spill that caused damage to
the environment," the SOA's
North China Sea
branch said.
"The SOA will, on behalf of the country, file lawsuits against companies
responsible for the leaks."
The SOA made no mention of the China National Offshore Oil Corporation, or
CNOOC, the Chinese state-owned company that is a majority partner in the Bohai
drilling operation.
"The amount in damages has yet to be determined," SOA spokeswoman
Shen Jiaohong said, dismissing a report that said it would demand CNY100
million ($15.6 million).
Earlier reports indicated that the maximum fine for maritime pollution under
China
's
current law is CNY200,000 ($31,000).
Both companies have apologized for the spill, and ConocoPhillips said last week
it hoped to clean up the oil by the end of August.
No one at ConocoPhillips (
China
) was
immediately available for comment.
Local fishermen have blamed the spill for the loss of much of their seasonal
harvest, while environmental groups signed an open letter to ConocoPhillips
calling for faster and more transparent clean-up efforts.
Διαβάστε ακόμα
Τρι, 24 Σεπτεμβρίου 2024 - 19:58
Τρι, 24 Σεπτεμβρίου 2024 - 19:54
Τετ, 18 Σεπτεμβρίου 2024 - 18:32
Τετ, 18 Σεπτεμβρίου 2024 - 18:27
Τρι, 17 Σεπτεμβρίου 2024 - 20:01