Napolitano names US Coast Guard commandant as Obama administration point man for oil spill

Coast Guard chief is named point man for oil spill

WASHINGTON — The head of the U.S. Coast Guard has been named the federal point man for the Gulf Coast oil spill.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced Saturday that Commandant Adm. Thad Allen will oversee the Obama administration’s response to the spill.

A news release said the four-star Coast Guard admiral has overseen Coast Guard efforts against the oil spill since the April 20 explosion that killed 11 workers and that he will lead ongoing federal efforts against the spill.

After Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast, Allen was the top federal official overseeing day-to-day recovery efforts.

The Coast Guard has estimated that about 200,000 gallons of oil are spewing out each day.