Federal Law Limits Polluter's Liability

Cleaning up San Francisco has been a trying task this year. Since the Cosco Busan oil spill, expert crews have done everything in their power to prevent the slick from spreading further. Yet, with so much done already, there is still plenty to do and not enough money.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the U.S. Coast Guard, testifying to a Senate subcommittee on Tuesday, announced San Francisco Bay’s cleanup will exceed the federal insurance liability limit of $61 million. The Coast Guard estimates the cleanup cost already exceed $55 million. The cost will continue to grow — an average $770,000 per day — for an indefinite period of time.

With so much money at stake, federal, state and local authorities as well as corporate players are bickering. Civil suits have been filed against the Cosco Busan's owner, Regal Stone Ltd., yet there is no guarantee as to who will pay to cover the spill's astronomical costs.

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