$700k in BP oil spill settlement money is still waiting for Louisianians to claim

(lailluminator.com) — Louisiana State Treasurer John Schroder said in a press release Tuesday that the state treasury still has more than $700,000 for people and businesses harmed by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon explosion and BP Oil spill.

According to Schroder’s office, more than 100 people or businesses are owed at least $1,000, and at least one business or person is owed more than $68,000.

BP established the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Trust to settle claims. Unclaimed money was turned over to the state treasury and the state placed it in its unclaimed property program.

According to Schroder’s office, 167 people have collected $165,000 from that trust, but that’s less than a quarter of the money that’s been left unclaimed.

“This money belongs to people and businesses who were impacted by one of the worst disasters in Louisiana history,” Schroder said in a statement. “We’re holding onto money for restaurants, shrimpers, fishermen, oil industry businesses and seafood markets. If your livelihood depends on the Gulf of Mexico, then you need to search our database. This is your money. We want you to claim it.”

Louisianians can search for their unclaimed money at www.latreasury.com.

This article originally published in the April 5, 2021 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.