(I posted this on ecogeneration.org on 8/10)

A judicial panel decided  that BP won't get a home-court advantage when it comes time to defend itself from hundreds of lawsuits related to its massive spill in the Gulf.

The panel ruled that cases against BP will be heard in New Orleans.

BP had hoped for a more convenient venue in Houston, where its American headquarters are located.

The decision, though, will mean that judges and juries living in areas most affected by the oil spill will get to decide how to punish BP and its contractors for the environmental catastrophe.

"The government still hasn't taken any criminal or civil action against BP," said Charlie Tebbutt, the attorney working on the Center's case. "Marshes have been devastated, wildlife wiped out and the full extent of the damage is still years from being known. This case will ensure that BP pays for every drop of oil spilled and can't walk away from the damage that's been done."