NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- A court hearing is set for BP to justify why it has balked at paying more than $130 million in fees to the administrator of its multi-billion dollar settlement with Gulf Coast businesses and residents after the company's 2010 oil spill.
In a letter dated Monday, BP claims official Maria Travis wrote that the settlement program administered by attorney Patrick Juneau has been plagued by poor productivity and excessive costs.
U.S. Magistrate Sally Shushan scheduled Wednesday's hearing in New Orleans on whether BP should be ordered to fund Juneau's proposed third-quarter budget.
Travis says the company cannot determine if Juneau's budget request is reasonable without more documentation.
