Unified Command

The Unified Command is the command structure, which integrates the spill's "responsible party" (in this case, BP) with federal and state officials to respond to the spill. The Coast Guard established its Unified Area Command—headquarters for the regional spill response—on April 23 in Robert, Louisiana, later moving it to New Orleans. It would eventually include representatives from the federal government, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, and BP.

Admiral Thad Allen, the outgoing Commandant of the Coast Guard was appointed National Incident Commander. During the Deepwater Horizon spill response, the National Incident Command coordinated interagency efforts on the wide variety of issues responders faced, and dealt with high-level political and media inquiries. More than anyone else, Admiral Allen became the public face of the federal response.