DAPHNE, Alabama -- The Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force today released a broad strategy "to begin reversing 80 years of mismanagement” in the region.
Among the group's recommendations in a 104-page report: stopping the loss of wetlands, reducing the flow of nutrients into the Gulf, and enhancing resiliency among coastal communities.
Established a year ago in response to the BP oil spill through an executive order by President Barack Obama, the goal of the group is to coordinate research and recovery efforts for the Gulf environment among local, state and national leaders.
The draft report seeks to pinpoint the biggest challenges and most pressing issues facing the Gulf and also provide the 5 coastal states — Florida, Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi and Alabama — with a restoration strategy.
Garret Graves, Task Force vice-chair and chair of the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority of Louisiana, said the report points to "the need to expedite the snail’s pace process of implementing water resources projects. History has proven that being reactive on disaster mitigation costs exponentially more."
The strategy will be presented to President Barack Obama after a public review period ends on October 26.
Chaired by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa P. Jackson, the group is made up of representatives from the five Gulf States and 11 federal agencies.
Orange Beach Mayor Tony Kennon says he's concerned federal oversight could prove detrimental to restoration efforts. He adds he is wary of the government's "incestuous relationship with big oil" and a regulation-heavy attitude.
"I think there may be change. I just don't know if it may be good change or bad change," Kennon said.
The Gulf of Mexico has at times been overlooked, but economically it is vital. More than 90 percent of the nation's offshore oil and natural gas production originates in the Gulf, 13 of the top 20 ports by tonnage are in the region and if the 5 coastal states were a country, they would rank 7th in global gross domestic product.
Alice Perry, assistant director of the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality and her state's representative on the task force, said the states are committed to working with the federal government to restore the Gulf Coast.
"The combination of several bad things, hurricanes, the oil spill incident, all of those things brought national attention to the Gulf Coast that we may not have gotten any other way," Perry said. "Hopefully, this will be some good that comes out of it."