More than five years after the environmental disaster caused by the Deepwater Horizon oil platform, which began on 20 April 2010 in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico, British Petroleum (Bp) has agreed to pay a fine of 18.7 billion dollars to settle once and for all the legal action brought by the United States and other federal states following the most serious oil spill ever to occur on American soil. This is the largest fine ever paid for environmental damage and, under the terms of the agreement, may be paid over 18 years. The settlement brings an end to all disputes between Bp on one side and the United States, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Texas and Florida on the other.

The explosion of Bp's Deepwater Horizon oil platform claimed 11 lives and triggered a crude oil spill lasting 87 days, estimated at 4.2 million barrels. Five years on, the inhabitants of the coastlines bordering the Gulf — from Louisiana to Florida — as well as the species that populate them (dolphins and other marine animals) continue to bear the consequences on their own skin. For this reason, many environmentalists are not satisfied with the decision.

"No compensation can ever undo the destruction caused by the Deepwater Horizon disaster. But, while we continue to seek answers, today's settlement — the largest compensation in American history — represents a significant step forward towards justice for the Gulf Coast ecosystem, the economy and the communities affected by the disaster," said Fred Krupp, president of the Environmental defense fund.

The real extent of the damage cannot yet be calculated — it may take decades to understand the full environmental impact — but the first phase, namely the open anger directed at those responsible, now appears to be something that can be set aside, regarded as a closed chapter.