WASHINGTON – Barred from obtaining new government contracts following its guilty plea in the 2010 Gulf of Mexico Oil spill, BP PLC filed suit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) earlier this week in federal court in Houston, alleging the agency has abused its discretion, the Wall Street Journal reports.

According to the court filing, BP said it lost out on billions of dollars of potential contracts because the EPA will not lift the prohibition on new contracts that it put in place in November 2012. At the time, BP said it would pay $4.5 billion in fines and plead guilty to criminal charges, including obstruction of justice, involuntary manslaughter, and a misdemeanor violation of the Clean Water Act.

BP is requesting a ruling that the EPA suspension is illegal and to end it immediately. BP spokesman Geoff Morrell said the EPA's action is inappropriate but that the company remains open to a reasonable settlement with the EPA.