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Texas Readies For Possible Oil Damage

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Attorney General Greg Abbott

By Erika Aguilar, KUT News

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Dallas, TX – None of the oil that continues to gush from the busted well into the Gulf of Mexico has hit the Texas Coast. At least not so far. But as KUT's Erika Aguilar reports state officials aren't waiting to for the oil to creep onto Lone Star shores.

Attorney General Greg Abbott is working with counterparts from Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Florida on a legal response to the oil spill. They met in Mobile, Alabama yesterday. The Attorneys General agreed to make sure British Petroleum pays all legitimate claims to businesses and taxpayers and that the BP takes adequate measures to protect the environment.

Abbott: "The state of Texas is not damaged and if taxpayers in this state are not impacted, then we would have to carefully evaluate whether or not it would be appropriate for Texas to be involved in any lawsuit."

Abbott says minimal state resources have been used. But he warns that loop currents in the Gulf of Mexico, wind shifts, or strong tropical storms could quickly put Texas businesses on the other side of the story.