Mariani, O’Rourke and Himmelhoch Homeland Security and Law Enforcement Winners
Thomas A. Mariani
Deputy Chief
Environment and Natural Resources Division
Department of Justice
Washington, D.C.
Steven O’Rourke
Senior Attorney
Environment and Natural Resources Division
Department of Justice
Washington, D.C.
Sarah D. Himmelhoch
Senior Counsel
Environment and Natural Resources Division
Department of Justice
Washington, D.C.
Thomas Mariani, Steven O’Rourke and Sarah Himmelhoch received the 2016 Homeland Security and Law Enforcement Medal Sept. 20, at the 2016 Service to America Medals ceremony. Read the full story here.
The trio negotiated a $20.8 billion settlement against BP in the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. This was the biggest civil penalty ever brought against a single defendant. The funds finance the largest environmental restoration program in U.S. history.
“The scale of this case, the number of people involved and the amount of injury that took place was huge,” said Lois Schiffer, general counsel of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. “They were under a lot of pressure and very difficult circumstances, but they navigated the case to a highly successful conclusion for the benefit of the public and the environment.”