2016 Homeland Security and Law Enforcement Medal: Tom Mariani, Steven O’Rourke and Sarah Himmelhoch

The 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico was the largest environmental disaster in U.S. history, polluting water, damaging hundreds of miles beaches and wetlands, and harming birds, dolphins, fish, sea turtles and other marine life.

Tom Mariani, Steven O’Rourke and Sarah Himmelhoch led the federal government’s landmark lawsuit against oil giant BP to remedy the devastating environmental and economic damage from the spill. After five years of litigation, the Department of Justice and five states secured a record-breaking $20.8 billion settlement against the company, the government’s largest-ever civil penalty against a single defendant.

Learn more about the medalist’s accomplishments at servicetoamericamedals.org.