Almost a quarter of the way there

The over/under on number of years before BP pays any Clean Water Act fines (if any) over the Macondo spill is 20.  It's been 5 already.

BP is challenging a January ruling over the size of the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill as it seeks to lower its civil penalty for the disaster. BP faces up to $13.7 billion in federal fines.

The notice of appeal, filed Monday (Feb. 24) in New Orleans, comes days after U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier rejected BP's attempt to lower the maximum fine for the spill.

Barbier ruled Jan. 15 that 3.19 million barrels of oil spilled into the Gulf of Mexico during the 87-day gusher. The ruling was based on evidence presented in October 2013 in the civil trial over the spill.

Remember, the ruling they're appealing was already a lazy "split-the-baby" decision by Barbier and a big break for BP in and of itself.  

Also, Louisiana is waiting on that money to help fund crucial coastal restoration projects with only the very survival of its most populated areas at stake... oh who are we kidding, it's never gonna happen.