Ellington

Washington, D.C., attorney Kenneth Feinberg, who starts his job of overseeing the BP claims process today, is hosting three meetings on the Mississippi Gulf Coast this morning regarding payments for victims of the Deepwater Horizon oil disaster.

The meetings, which are being held in Bay St. Louis, Biloxi and Pascagoula will provide citizens with information about the Gulf Coast Claims Facility, an independent body Feinberg formed to handle claims and make payments from BP's $20 billion escrow fund.

Feinberg said the new fund aims to pay individuals within 48 hours of finalizing claims, and businesses within seven days, The Sun Herald reported Sunday.

GCCF will operate from the 35 claims offices BP set up with the same contracted staff. BP officials paid a total of $375 million in claims before turning over the program to Feinberg.