EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson returned to the Gulf Coast on Sunday to monitor EPA’s on-the-ground response to the BP oil spill and speak with residents about efforts to mitigate the spill's impact on the region, according to an agency press release.

This is Administrator Jackson’s third visit to the gulf region since the oil spill began. During her trip, the administrator will visit the command center in Robert, La. and will also travel to Venice and New Orleans. She will remain in the gulf region until Tuesday.

In related news, EPA last week released BP’s response to EPA’s directive on dispersants. EPA’s directive to BP required them to evaluate available, pre-approved dispersants for toxicity and effectiveness and report back to EPA within 24 hours. After receiving their response late Thursday night, EPA immediately called a meeting with BP to discuss the issue on Friday, May 21

BP and several of the dispersant manufacturers have claimed some sections of BP's response contain confidential business information (CBI). By law, CBI cannot be immediately made public except with the company's permission. EPA challenged these companies to make more information public and, as a result, several portions of the letter can now be made public. EPA is currently evaluating all legal options to ensure that the remaining redacted information is released to the public. EPA continues to strongly urge these companies to voluntarily make this information public so Americans can get a full picture of the potential environmental impact of these alternative dispersants.