"U.S. Agrees to Allow BP Back Into Gulf Waters to Seek Oil"

"HOUSTON — Four years after the Deepwater Horizon rig explosion, BP is being welcomed back to seek new oil leases in the Gulf of Mexico.

An agreement on Thursday with the Environmental Protection Agency lifts a 2012 ban that was imposed after the agency concluded that BP had not fully corrected problems that led to the well blowout in 2010 that killed 11 rig workers, spilled millions of gallons of oil and contaminated hundreds of miles of beaches.

BP had sued to have the suspension lifted, and now the agreement will mean hundreds of millions of dollars of new business for the company. But even more important, oil analysts said, it signifies an important step in the company’s recovery from the accident, which has been costly to its finances and reputation."

Clifford Krauss reports for the New York Times March 13, 2014.

SEE ALSO:

"EPA Lifts Ban Barring BP From Federal Government Contracts" (New Orleans Times-Picayune)

"EPA Declares BP a ‘Responsible Contractor’ Makes It Eligible Again for Federal Contracts in the Gulf" (Center for Progressive Reform)

"EPA to Lift Suspension and Debarment of BP From Federal Government Contracts/Agreement Contains Strong Provisions To Continue Safety And Ethics Improvements in Order To Comply" (EPA Release)