High court rejects Mexican states’ lawsuit over Gulf spill

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Supreme Court won’t hear an appeal from three Mexican states seeking damages from BP and other companies over the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

The justices on Monday let stand a lower court ruling that said the states of Veracruz, Tamaulipas and Quintana Roo can’t bring a lawsuit because Mexico’s federal government owns the affected property.

The Mexican federal government filed a similar lawsuit in 2013, which is progressing through the court system.

The lawsuit filed by the states sought damages for the costs of responding to the spill, lost tourism and contamination of water, plants and shoreline.