More than half of $500 million in oil spill payments distributed to seafood workers | NOLA.com

More than half of $500 million in oil spill payments distributed to seafood workers | NOLA.com

by Jennifer Larino  // Times Picayune

"Oil spill claims administrator Patrick Juneau said Thursday (Feb. 12) more than half of a second, $500 million round of payments has been distributed to Gulf Coast seafood workers since a November court order approving the step. The claims office continues to process payments to seafood workers impacted by the BP oil spill.

 In a statement, Juneau said his office has paid more than $296 million to 2,647 claimants in the seafood industry over the past three months.

The program will process payments from the remaining $204 million over the next four to six months, Juneau said.

"We are moving the payments through the process and I am pleased at the progress we are making for the seafood industry," Juneau said.

 This round of payments is the second distribution under the $2.3 billion Seafood Compensation Program, which set aside money within the larger 2012 oil spill settlement to pay commercial fishermen, vessel owners, and other seafood workers impacted by the spill.

The program paid more than $1 billion to workers during its first phase. BP and plaintiff's lawyers agreed to divide remaining funds among qualified claimants in later rounds."



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