Feb 19 (Reuters) - A federal judge on Thursday rejected BPPlc's attempt to reduce the maximum civil fine it couldface over its role in the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill.
U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier in New Orleans agreed withthe federal government that the maximum civil penalty that BPcould face under the federal Clean Water Act is $4,300 perbarrel spilled, not the $3,000 sought by BP.
The decision means BP could still face as much as $13.7billion of civil fines from the spill. Barbier has not decidedhow much BP should pay, and it is unclear when he will decide. (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by CynthiaOsterman)
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