Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi has disclosed that she’s seeking more than $5.4 billion in damages from BP over the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
Bondi told reporters on Tuesday that she offered to settle the state’s claim but never got a response from BP.
She filed suit Saturday on the three-year anniversary of the rig explosion that killed 11 workers and spoiled 1,100 miles of beaches and marsh along the Gulf of Mexico.
Bondi explained she is pursuing lost tax revenue because of decreased tourism. Environmental damages will be addressed by other state agencies.
She said pretrial matters will be handled in Louisiana but the trial will be held in Florida. Louisiana and Alabama sued BP earlier and are in federal court in New Orleans determining liability.