By Eileen Fleming
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wwno/local-wwno-924988.mp3
New Orleans, La. – BP set aside $100 million dollars to give deepwater drilling workers up to $30,000 each if they could prove the moratorium caused them to lose wages. But many drilling companies have continued paying their workers. So far 365 claims have been filed while as many as 9,000 had been expected. Only workers on 33 deepwater drilling rigs sidelined by the moratorium are eligible. It's still unclear how the moratorium enacted after the Deepwater Horizon rig explosion in April has affected the region. Now, the foundation in charge of handing out the money says it will open a second round for people working to support the rigs, such as supply companies and helicopter pilots who had transported workers to the offshore facilities
For NPR News, I'm Eileen Fleming in New Orleans.