NEW ORLEANS ― BP PLC’s $18.7 billion settlement for its 2010 oil spill may not end lawsuits filed by two public university systems against the oil giant, a newspaper reported Sunday.
Since many details are under wraps, it hasn’t been clear whether the settlement includes the universities, but the attorney handling the university systems’ claims issued a statement last week saying he believes those claims remain open, The New Orleans Advocate reported.
The Louisiana attorney general’s office did not respond to requests for comment. BP spokesman Geoff Morrell declined comment.
No public colleges or universities in Mississippi filed claims against BP, according to the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office.
The University of West Florida in Pensacola, which has nearly 12,000 students, settled its claims for nearly $178,000, spokeswoman Megan Gonzalez said Friday.
The UL and Southern systems were the only public colleges or universities in Louisiana to sue BP over the disaster. Attorneys for the schools filed the claims in 2013 for lost revenue, property damage and civil and punitive damages.
The University of Louisiana System initially claimed more than $132 million in losses, while the Southern University System pegged its damages at about $99 million.
