Deepwater MDL Court Balances Evidence Protection with Remediation Efforts

NEW ORLEANS - The federal judge appointed to coordinate the Deepwater Horizon oil spill litigation has scheduled a hearing for Sept. 1 on the collection and preservation of physical evidence, including the "blowout preventer," scheduled to be replaced before the well can be finally capped. In re: Oil Spill by the Oil Rig "Deepwater Horizon" in the Gulf of Mexico, on April 20, 2010, MDL No. 2179 (E.D. La.).

Notice of the hearing was included in U.S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier's Aug. 26 amended order regarding the preservation of evidence that is or will be in the care of …