About the Alliance
From the Gulf Coast Governors
During the 2005 hurricane season a record number of named storms impacted the Gulf Coast. These events offered a reminder of the vulnerability of the region's citizens, industry, and natural resources. Most important, these events underscored the vital links between our quality of life and the health of our coasts. As a result of a shared vision for a healthy and resilient Gulf of Mexico, the Gulf of Mexico Alliance – a joint state-federal partnership – was established. The first action taken by our new partnership was the development of the Governors’ Action Plan for Healthy and Resilient Coasts, which challenges the Gulf of Mexico Alliance to make tangible progress on six critical regional issues.
The Gulf of Mexico Alliance
The Gulf of Mexico Alliance is a partnership, initiated in 2004 by the states of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas, intent on significantly increasing regional collaboration to enhance the ecological and economic health of the Gulf of Mexico. The Alliance has identified six priority issues that are regionally significant and can be effectively addressed through increased collaboration at the local, state, and federal levels. These priorities represent an initial focus for action through the Alliance:
- Water quality for healthy beaches and shellfish beds;
- Wetland and coastal conservation and restoration;
- Coastal community resilience;
- Environmental education;
- Identification and characterization of Gulf habitats, and
- Reducing in nutrient inputs to coastal ecosystems.
White sand spit between estuary and the Gulf. Photo credit: Gulf of Mexico Alliance Governors' Action Plan
The Alliance considers the Gulf of Mexico an ideal setting for exploring better mechanisms for regional management, applying an ecosystem approach to management, applying integrated coastal and ocean observations for management purposes, and strengthening state-local-federal collaboration. Working with all interested partners, the five U.S. Gulf States are committed to realizing the benefits of shared management successes and coordinated environmental monitoring efforts.
The Governors' Action Plan
The first action of the Alliance was to release the Governors’ Action Plan for Healthy and Resilient Coasts, which challenged this new partnership to make tangible, short-term progress between March 2006 to March 2009. The Alliance established focused teams of regional stakeholders, called Priority Issue Teams, to advance actions in the Governors’ Action Plan. Implementation of the 73 Action Blueprint Steps in this plan has exceeded initial expectations. Presently, 22 percent – or 16 Action Blueprint Steps – are complete and 70 percent – 51 Action Blueprint Steps – are in progress toward completion by March 2009.
Building on the success ofthe initial Governors’ Action Plan, the Alliance is expanding the scope of Gulf of Mexico regional collaboration activities. To this end, the Alliance began work on a second regional collaboration blueprint, planned for release in 2009.
Collaboration with Mexico
The Alliance actively works to collaborate with the six Mexican Gulf States and is engaged in a number of ongoing activities in Mexico. Both parties acknowledge that the environmental and economic health of the Gulf of Mexico is contingent upon responsible management by both the United States and Mexico. The Alliance will work to become a model for regional and international collaboration.
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