BP claims czar: Proximity to Gulf Coast no longer have a role in whether claimants are paid

BP claims czar: Proximity has no role in payment

OCEAN SPRINGS, Miss. — The administrator of the fund doling out money to Gulf of Mexico oil spill victims says geographic proximity to oil-impacted areas will no longer play a role in whether people and businesses are compensated.

Attorney Kenneth Feinberg, who is overseeing the Gulf Coast Claims Facility, has faced complaints from angry residents and business owners that the fund is moving too slowly, is not being generous enough and is denying claims that should be paid.

Feinberg says that the process is fluid and that he understands the concerns.

On Monday, he announced a more lenient program that would not rule out claims simply because claimants are not located on the coast.

The April 20 rig explosion killed 11 workers and spewed more than 200 million gallons of oil from BP PLC’s underwater well.