BP Pleads Guilty to Pollution Charges

A unit of oil major BP has pleaded guilty to a criminal violation of US clean water laws after an oil spill in Alaska's North Slope, the US Justice Department has announced.

The court ruled that BP had violated the federal Clean Water Act after a 200,000-gallon oil spill in March 2006.

BP must now pay a US$12m in criminal fines, US$4m in community service payments to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and US$4 million in criminal restitution to the state of Alaska, writes Reuters.

A second leak in August 2006 was contained after spilling about 1,000 gallons of oil.

BP was not charged for the second spill and has not released comments on the case.

By staff writer