Bay Area cities to begin spending BP settlement money

TAMPA, Fla. - 2017 will be the year when many local governments will spend settlement money from the BP Deep Horzon spill.

Tampa got more the $20 million after lawyer's costs. That's more than any other city in Florida.

$15 million of that will go for redevelopment of the 23-acre Julian Lane Park on the west bank of the Hillsborough River.

Pinellas County will spread its more than $7 million dollar settlement on a variety of causes ranging from the arts to veteran's services.

St. Petersburg got more than $6 million dollars.

City councilors have discussed using some of it for the ailing sewer system.

St Pete also approved spending $250 thousand dollars on a bike sharing project.