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TALLAHASSEE, FL--Attorney General McCollum today issued the following response to BP's agreement to set aside $20 billion in an escrow account for claims made in the Gulf states.

"I am encouraged by BP’s announcement it will escrow $20 billion to compensate the Gulf Coast victims of the Deepwater Horizon catastrophe. They are the responsible party and must be held fully liable for this catastrophe. As we stated when we made the original request to BP to establish an escrow fund for damages, this is an appropriate step to ensure the availability of funds for our state’s long-term recovery. Many questions remain about the structure and disbursement of these funds and how much of the $20 billion will be reserved for Florida claims. I intend to have those questions answered and guarantee that all affected Floridians are quickly and fairly compensated for their damages and losses.

"Yesterday, I announced that my office, along with other affected agencies, has established a process to collect relevant supporting data and information that will allow the State of Florida and its agencies to begin billing BP for calculated losses caused by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. I will continue to work with BP and the Federal government to ensure the claims are paid in an expeditious manner."