Obama’s point man on the Gulf oil spill recovery will visit the region next week

more images

more images

Recovery chief to tour Gulf region next week

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama’s point man for the recovery and restoration of the area affected by the Gulf oil spill will tour the region next week.

Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus will begin a five-day visit on Monday as he assesses damage from the millions of gallons of crude oil spewing from a deepwater well owned by BP, his office said in a statement.

Mabus, a former governor of Mississippi, will meet with state and local officials in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.

Obama tapped Mabus for the task of leading the environmental and economic recovery of a region hit not only by one of the worst environmental disasters in U.S. history, but also still suffering the effects of Hurricane Katrina.