Officials from Walton County, Fla., have hired Beasley Allen attorneys to represent the county in its efforts to recover revenues lost as a result of the BP Oil Spill disaster. New 13 reporter Jason Hackett said Beasley Allen was chosen from among three firms that submitted proposals to represent the County. Beasley Allen attorney David Byrne spoke to the County Commission meeting, presenting the firm's outstanding record in environmental litigation. Commissioner Sara Comander said the firm's record of success in environmental law was key in the decision, as the County is concerned about long-term environmental impacts that may result from the oil spill, which affected the entire Gulf Coast region.

At the one year anniversary of the BP oil spill disaster, Jere Beasley appeared on Alabama Public Television's Capitol Journal program to discuss lawsuits filed in relation to the crisis. People throughout the Gulf Coast region, and even farther inland, were negatively impacted when the Deepwater Horizon oil drilling platform exploded on April 20, 2010, and sank into the Gulf of Mexico two days later. When the rig sank, the well began gushing oil into the Gulf about a mile below the ocean surface. The oil spill and toxic dispersants applied in the days and months afterward had a negative impact on industries including fishing, tourism, real estate and even revenue development for affected communities. Additionally, individuals suffered physical and mental traumas. Mr. Beasley tells the program's hosts that troubles for the people affected are still far from over, as the long-term environmental impacts of the spill remain to be seen.

April 20 marks the one-year anniversary of the explosion and sinking of the Deepwater Horizon oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico. The explosion on the rig, owned by Transocean and operated by BP, killed 11 workers. The well head, located a mile beneath the water's surface, gushed crude oil into the ocean for 84 days before it could be permanently capped. The resulting devastation to the coastline, wildlife and sea life impacted industries ranging from commercial fishing to tourism and amounted to one of the worst environmental disasters in U.S. history. The long-term effects of the oil spill remain to be seen.

Beasley Allen is representing clients injured by the massive oil spill that resulted when the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded and sank off the coast of Louisiana on April 20, 2010. The rig was owned by Transocean Ltd. and operated by BP Oil. The damaged pipeline dumped thousands of gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico before it was finally capped in August. This has been labeled the greatest environmental disaster in U.S. history. Thousands of people in the Gulf Coast region are suffering economic, physical and psychological damage as a result of the catastrophe.

Gibson Vance, shareholder at Beasley Allen law firm and President of the American Association of Justice speaks to CNN about the BP oil spill.

Beasley Allen's Rhon Jones speaks to Fox Business about BP oil spill litigation.
(06/21/2010)

Speaking to WSFA TV-12 news, Beasley Allen attorney Rhon Jones, head of the firm's Environmental Law section, discusses a motion filed May 13 by Transocean in relation to the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Leigh O'Dell encourages the community to attend Building Oaks of Righteousness.

The EPA has approved a plan to store the ash in a landfill in Perry County, Alabama. The TVA will begin immediately shipping the 3 million cubic yards of toxic coal ash; enough to fill 35,000 rail cars.

The idyllic lifestyle of residents along the Emory and Tennessee rivers was changed forever Dec. 22, when more than 1 billion pounds of toxic coal ash sludge flooded more than 300 acres. The coal ash, a waste by-product from the Kingston Fossil Plant, a TVA energy production facility, burst through a retention pond retaining wall at the site and devastated the surrounding land and waterways.