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Today marks 5 years since BP’s Oil Rig Deepwater Horizon dumped millions of gallons of crude into the Gulf. As Matt Galka tells us, even though Florida didn’t get the worst of the catastrophe, the state is steel feeling the effects.

The BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill killed 11 workers and dumped more than 130 million gallons of crude into the Gulf 5 years ago. FloridaState professor Ian MacDonald was at the forefront of estimating the amount of oil being spilled into the ocean. He says restoration is a long way from completion.

“In many ways we are still playing a waiting game to see what’s happening and we are still working out with the government and academic scientists what the best strategy for restoration is,” said Dr. MacDonald.

BP has spent more than four billion dollars in Florida for claims and restoration. Eric Draper with Audubon Florida says that’s helped when it comes to animal life that was wiped out because of the spill.

“Our bird life is back in a significant way. One of the significant things that happened with the BP oil spill is that some of the penalty payments were used to establish bird colonies all over the gulf coast of Florida and birds are thriving in those colonies,” said Draper.

Legislators say they’re still hearing about the claims process from Floridians and business owners

“Now, I understand that there’s a lot of questions about fraud and that’s a serious issue. But we cannot forget and we can’t underscore the fact that those who have been damaged by BP have to be made whole,” said Sen. Bill Montford, who’s district includes two coastal counties.

Florida led all states with more than 94 thousand claims filed after the spill.  Around 62 thousand have been paid. If you were affected by the oil spill and have yet to make a claim, the deadline is June 8^th.  Go to www.deepwaterhorizonsettlements.com to start the process.