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A new claims process for Gulf Coast residents has been initiated.  Anyone with legitimate claims of financial injury by the BP oil spill may use the new claims process.  It is intended to expedite payments through the administration of federally-appointed claims czar Ken Feinberg.  Mr. Feinberg explained the New Emergency Advance Payment Program that will start Monday, August 23d, under his direction.  BP will be out of the Individual Claims Business as of that day, Government Claims will still go through BP.  Any inquires as of Monday from individuals or Businesses should be directed to the New Claims Site for information:  www.GulfCoastClaimsFacility.com or by calling Toll Free: 1-800-916-4893 or TTY: 1-866-682-1758.  Spanish, Vietnamese, and Cambodian translators are available.  There are seven [7] ways to submit a claim: 1] Website:  www.GulfCoastClaimsFacility.com 2] Claims Site Office:  Look on website or call 1-800-916-4893;  TTY: 1-866-682-1758 3] Telephone:  1-800-916-4893;  TTY:  1-866-682-1758 4] Regular Mail:       Gulf Coast Claims Facility                                     Kenneth R. Feinberg, Administrator                                     P.O. Box 9658                                     Dublin, OH  43017-4958 5] Overnight, Certified or Registered Mail:                      Gulf Coast Claims Facility                   Kenneth R. Feinberg. Administrator                   5151 Blazer Pkwy.                  Suite A                  Dublin, OH  43017 6] Fax:  1-866-682-1772 7] Email:  info@gccf-claims.com An Emergency Advance Payment Claim may be submitted through November 23, 2010.  A Claim for Final Payment may be submitted through August 23, 2013.  There is a separate process and funds setup for Real Estate Brokers.  That process will go through the State Real Estate Commission/Office. Anyone that believes Fraud may be involved in a claim or Disaster Contract should call the Department of Justice National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline:  1-877-623-3423. Our commissioners continue to stay abreast of developments related to the safety and health of the environment as it may be impacted by the oil spill.  They note that national, state and local health authorities have been steadily monitoring conditions and are taking appropriate action.  For more information, please click the link Health Advisory on this page. More facts and photos are available from the Unified Command Web site at www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com. Helping to manage operations at the Mobile Unified Command Post are individuals from the U.S. Coast Guard and British Petroleum (BP).  Pictured here are teams representing Operations, Planning, Incident Command and Documentation.

LINKS BP's Alabama-specific Oil Spill Information Web Site BP Claims Process Health Department Advisories Projected Path of Spill BP Hiring Local Vessels Gulf Coast Air Quality BP Class Schedule Vessel of Opportunity Information for Mobile New SBA Economic Injury Loans PHONE NUMBERS: For spill related damage claims, call 1-800-440-0858 To volunteer, call the Deepwater Horizon Response Volunteer Request Line at 1-866-448-5816 or the Alabama state line at 2-1-1. To report oiled or injured wildlife, call 1-866-557-1401 To report oil on land, or for general Community and Volunteer Information, please call 1-866-448- 5816. To register as a consultant, contractor, or vendor, or to submit information on alternative response technology services, products or suggestions, please call 281-366-5511. For oil spill health questions: 1-888-623-0284 Oil cleanup jobs:  http://www.joblink.alabama.gov/