Long-term ecosystem restoration strategy released

The Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force released its preliminary strategy for long-term ecosystem restoration today for public review and feedback. The strategy, which will be presented to President Barack Obama at the end of the public review period, is an attempt to address long-standing issues contributing to the decline of the Gulf Coast’s critical ecosystem. The preliminary strategy is the first effort of its kind to be developed with the involvement of parties throughout the region, including states, tribes, federal agencies, local governments and thousands of interested citizens and organizations. It was developed following more than 40 public meetings held at various Gulf Coast locations to gather information on what residents deem the most pressing concerns of the region. The strategy includes plans to stop the loss of wetlands, reduce the flow of nutrients into the Gulf of Mexico and enhance the resiliency of coastal communities. It is available for review and feedback here until Oct. 26. A final version will be released in December.