Government and industry leaders will begin their four-day State of the Gulf of Mexico Summit today in Houston. Sponsored by The Harte Research Institute, the event will focus on the health of the Gulf and the future of its ecosystem.
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson kicked off the Texas conference this morning with the announcement of a plan developed by a federal task force to restore the Gulf following the 2010 oil spill.
“This is the culmination of long hours and hard work and unprecedented collaboration and compromise born of an urgent need to address the challenges that have faced this region for years,†Jackson said.
The plan, developed by the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force—a body mandated by President Barack Obama following the spill—will take a reported hundreds of millions of dollars to implement. It will begin with $50 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Throughout this week’s gathering, participants will study data gathered in the wake of the BP oil spill. They will also be familiarizing themselves with the task force’s four-part plan, which focuses on restoring habitat and water quality, replenishing living resources and enhancing community resilience.