The Louisiana Attorney General's Office says it's running out of money to pay for litigation over the 2010 BP PLC oil spill.
Rene Free, director of administrative services for state Attorney General Buddy Caldwell, tells The Advocate that no new money was appropriated in the current year's budget for Deepwater Horizon litigation. Caldwell asked for an additional $16.2 million in July at the start of the budget year, she says.
First Assistant Attorney General Trey Phillips says the state must prepare for a trial scheduled for February, though Louisiana issues are likely to be handled later. So far, he says work has cost $6 million.
Michael DiResto, spokesman for the Division of Administration, says $4.8 million in spending authority was carried forward from last year's budget for legal work.