LUCAS DOLEGA/epa/Corbis
The oil spill cleanup has a new force entering the cleanup conversation: the Justice Department.
After failed attempts by BP to cap the gushing oil spill with a “top kill” over the weekend, the AP reports that Attorney General Eric Holder announced on Tuesday that federal authorities have opened criminal and civil investigations into the environmental damage done to the Gulf of Mexico.
“We will closely examine the actions of those involved in the spill. If we find evidence of illegal behavior, we will be extremely forceful in our response,” said Holder in a statement from New Orleans.
The news comes in lieu of BP’s latest attempt, which involves cutting the rig’s broken riser pipe. That action will reportedly cause as much as 20 percent more oil to spew over the coming days, as engineers position the cap over the opening.