BP fines from RESTORE Act may still be distributed locally

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - There may be some encouraging news about whether the federal government will shift money from fines imposed on BP for the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill to the federal government.

Some Alabama and other Gulf state officials had been concerned that the U.S. Justice Department might want a settlement that would funnel all money from the RESTORE Act through federal control only.

Now, there may be reason to hope that won't happen.

Local and state government leaders have long said they want British Petroleum fine money from the oil spill to come to Mobile and Baldwin Counties.

They were concerned the federal government wouldn't do that, however.

During a visit to Mobile in October, U.S Senator Richard Shelby from Alabama said the government would not directly say it wanted to take money away.

Shelby said, "They don't ever use a phrase like that; they just try to work out a settlement where they can get their hands on the money. Follow the money: you've heard that your whole life."

However, Casi Callaway, the Executive Director of the environmental group Mobile Baykeeper, said the latest word from U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder sounds encouraging.

She said, "According to Congressman (Jo) Bonner, Eric Holder's office called him and said, 'We hear you,' we're going to stick with the RESTORE Act and keeping the funds in the right place for that."

That seems to mean Mobile and Baldwin Counties. Still, that doesn't mean that plan is written in stone.

Callaway said, "We still don't know. What we firmly believe is that a decision will be made before February 24th, which is the court date, but what we don't know is how much it will be, what it will be, and how they'll divvy it up."

Related: How much could the RESTORE Act pay out?

The Alabama Gulf Coast Recovery Council is the group that will decide how to spend the money.

The council meets again Monday morning, and Callaway said she wants to make sure the money is spent the way the RESTORE Act dictates.

She said, "Every environmental project will have a significant and dramatic impact on our economy. We have to make sure that they don't do projects that have a negative effect on our environment."