Governor Won't Share State BP Money with Coastal Counties Copyright by WKRG - All rights reserved Video

Alabama Governor Robert Bentley says he opposes sending a portion of the state's one billion-dollar BP settlement to Mobile and Baldwin Counties.

"That's not going to happen," said Bentley. "That belongs to the state of Alabama."

Bentley made the comments to reporters after speaking Monday at the Economic Development Association of Alabama's Summer Conference in Point Clear. Bentley told the audience that the billion dollar state settlement would be used to pay off debt and to help balance the General Fund budget.

Last week, Mobile and Baldwin County legislators announced plans to earmark $500 million of the state's settlement, for major road projects in coastal Alabama, including the new I-10 bridge, the extension of the Baldwin Beach Express from I-10 to I-65, and the completion of the stalled new Highway 98 project in western Mobile County.

"We're working for half of the funds to come back to Mobile and Baldwin Counties," said Rep. Margie Wilcox, R-Mobile.

The BP settlement agreed to by Bentley earlier this month totaled $2.3 billion for Alabama.

Bentley says that means 1.3 billion will be spent in coastal Alabama – an adequate amount he says.

The Governor defended his negotiation strategies.

"The billion dollars that's going to Montgomery is going to Montgomery bacause I negotiated a billion dollars," said Bentley. "Now if it had been $148 million, which was the settlement in the beginning, there would have been nobody complaining down here."

Former Governor Bob Riley allegedly considered a $148 million settlement in 2010, shortly after the oil spill.

Legislators from outside the area may be more sympathetic than the Governor to coastal Alabama's claim that it deserves more BP funds.

"This area was hit harder than it was up in Montgomery or anything other area so we have to respect that and look at that," said Rep. Paul Beckman, R-Prattville.

"I'm going to approach it with an open mind," added Sen. Clyde Chambliss, R-Prattville. "If that's something that needs to be done to make Mobile and Baldwin Counties whole, then that's something that I would entertain."

That attitude gives locals hope, despite the Governor's stance.

"I just think we need to keep the discussion open on how much of its going to be used to pay back debt, how much of it is going to be used to potentially used to solve the general fund problems, and then how much ultimately is going to come back to Mobile and Baldwin counties," said Sen. Trip Pittman, R-Montrose.

The legislative special session resumes on Monday August 3.