Ellington

In U.S. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus' Coast recovery plan released last week, he recommends that a large portion of BP's penalty money go to the Gulf Coast, The Sun Herald reported.

The former Mississippi governor suggested that money BP will pay from federal Clean Water Act violations go toward recovery to the five Gulf states affected by this summer's oil disaster. The Sun Herald estimates that BP could face fines between $21.1 million to $5.4 billion.

Mabus recommended that a Gulf Coast council, comprised of state and federal members coordinate recovery efforts.