The governors of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas establish the Gulf of Mexico Alliance as a state-led network of partners to collaborate on priority issues affecting the environmental and economic health of the region. The Alliance receives early federal support through the Bush Administration’s “U.S. Ocean Action Plan” and engagement from the White House Council on Environmental Quality, EPA, NOAA, and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
State and federal representatives establish an organizational structure for the rapidly-growing partnership including priority issue teams, committees, chairs, and coordinators.