In re Oil Spill by the Oil Rig "Deepwater Horizon" in the Gulf of Mexico

*565FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW

PENALTY PHASE

CARL BARBIER, United States District Judge

CONTENTS

I. • Introduction.. .565

A. Factual Background... 565

B. The Government’s Complaint.. .566

C. Relevant Prior Rulings... 567

D. The CWA’s Civil Penalty Factors. . .568

II. Findings of Fact.. .568

A. Factor 1: Seriousness... 568

B. Factor 2: Economic Benefit.. ,570

C. Factor 3: Culpability...571

D. Factor 4: Other Penalties for Same Incident.. .572

E. Factor 5: Prior Violations... 573

F. Factor 6: Mitigation... 574

G. Factor 7: Economic Impact on the Violator., .575

H. Factor 8: Other Matters... 576

III.…