UM: BP Spill

The New York Times looks at the financial implications for BP if the federal government files criminal charges against the oil company for the Gulf spill. The article quotes David Uhlmann, a UM law professor who led the environmental crimes section of the Justice Department from 2000 to 2007. Uhlmann says that misdemeanor convictions under environmental laws could result in large fines under general federal criminal statutes. According to the report, “the Alternative Fines Act allows the federal government to request twice the gain or loss associated with an offense if the Justice Department shows that a crime was committed.” [Source]