United States Gulf of Mexico
Environmental Protection Agency Program Office
EPA 855-R-97-003
December 1997
ulf of Mexico Program
1997 Shareholder Report
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Mission Statement
The mission
of the Gulf of Mexico
Program is to facilitate the
protection and restoration of the
coastal marine waters of the Gulf
of Mexico and its coastal natural habitats;
to sustain living resources; to protect human health
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Table of Contents
Message from the Gulf of Mexico Program Office 2
Shareholders , 3
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The Gulf of Mexico Program 4
Public Health Goal 5
Habitat Goal , 6
Living Resources Goal 8
Current Priorities 9
The Gulf of Mexico Program at Work 10
Texas 11
Louisiana 12
Mississippi 13
Alabama 14
Florida 15
History of Funding 16
Cover photo courtesy of Jerry Binninger;
photo at left courtesy of William Holland.
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Why a Shareholder Report?
The Gulf of Mexico is truly a resource of national importance,
containing a rich variety of estuarine and marine habitats and
significantly contributing to the national economy. Since 1988,
the protection of this publicly-held resource has been the focus of
the Gulf of Mexico Program (GMP), a network of federal, state,
and local government agencies; business and industry; nonprofit
organizations; educational institutions; and interested citizens.
Through the Program, the Nation has made an investment to
protect America's Sea by channeling our collective capabilities,
energies and resources. We must work towards a common goal —
protecting, restoring, and maintaining the health and productivity
of the Gulf of Mexico.
Just as a corporate Board of Directors is accountable to its share-
holders, we at the Gulf of Mexico Program believe we have an
obligation to demonstrate that the talents and resources dedicated
to protecting the Gulf have been used wisely. Therefore, the Gulf
of Mexico Program has developed this report to communicate the
results of this public investment.
We are proud of the work that has been accomplished through
the Gulf of Mexico Program, such as fostering community-led
efforts in the Barataria-Terrebonne estuarine system to improve
shellfish growing waters, focusing national attention on the
voluntary reduction of pollutants to the Mississippi River, and
enhancing public-private partnerships with Gulf business and
industry leaders to improve environmental stewardship.
We are also excited about the direction that the Program will take
in the future to protect human health and the food supply, en-
hance the sustainability of living resources, and improve habitats
that support living resources. These are challenges that must be
met for us to achieve our common vision.
This first annual Shareholders Report is dedicated to those already
participating in the mission to ensure a bright future for the Gulf
of Mexico. In addition, we would like to take this opportunity to
invite anyone who shares our vision for the Gulf of Mexico to join
us as the partnership gains momentum.
Together we can achieve great things!
James D. Giatttna
Director, Gulf of Mexico Program Office
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States
Alabama
Florida
Louisiana
Mississippi
Texas
Public & Private Organizations
Citizens Advisory Committee
Business Council
Federal Partners
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services
U.S. Department of Commerce
U.S. Department of Agriculture
U.S. Department of Interior
U.S. Department of Transportation
U.S. Department of Defense
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The Gulf of Mexico Program is an approach to environmental
protection that emphasizes community-based, ecosystem
management. The hallmarks of this approach are:
(1) an emphasis on equal partnership among government agencies,
private and non-government interests to define problems and
implement solutions;
(2) use of the best science and knowledge available to support
decisions and guide actions; and
(3) public involvement in all phases of the Program to generate the
consensus needed for action.
Since its inception in 1988, the Program has focused on working with
its partners to assess the scope and magnitude of the issues confronting
the Gulf and to develop and implement management strategies to
address these issues. These efforts have included the assistance of over
400 representatives from public service, the private sector, academia,
and countless citizen volunteers from the Gulf States. Recognizing that
natural resources of the Gulf are of global significance, the Program is
working to strengthen its role in bringing the issues that confront the
Gulf to both national and international attention.
The Gulf of Mexico Program is not a regulatory program; although
some of the partner agencies at the federal and state levels have
regulatory responsibilities. The Gulf of Mexico Program provides a
forum whereby issues that cross political or social boundaries can be
clearly identified, discussed and collaboratively resolved to benefit the
ecological and economic resources of the Gulf of Mexico.
Given the vast geographic scope of the Gulf, protection of these
critical resources requires a long-term commitment and focused
attention. Through its dedicated partnerships, the Program has fostered
a new depth of understanding concerning the problems affecting the
Gulf. From this vast knowledge base, the Program has developed three
strategic goals:
• Protect public health and the food supply.
• Maintain and improve Gulf habitats that support living resources.
• Maintain and enhance the sustainability of Gulf living resources.
A strategic assessment process is being implemented to focus future
efforts, identify resources at greatest risk, and establish quantitative
goals to measure progress. Currently, the Gulf of Mexico Program is
specifically addressing four priority environmental concerns:
1) restoration of shellfish growing waters and reefs; 2) hypoxia
(low dissolved oxygen); 3) habitat loss; and 4) introduction of
nonindigenous species.
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1 PdinOT
Protect human health and the food supply
In 1996, $300 million were generated from oysters landed in die
Gulf of Mexico. However, as indicated in the preliminary results of
the 1995 National Shellfish Register of 'Classified Waters, over half
of die nine million acres of shellfish growing waters in die region
have regulatory limitations on harvest. The reasons for die restric-
tions range from administrative rules to degraded water quality.
Exposure to pathogens via consumption of raw molluscan shellfish
is a significant public health tiireat.
The Gulf of Mexico Program has identified die increase in shellfish
beds available for safe harvest as one of its priority objectives, and is
currently determining where and how to direct its efforts. In Febru-
ary 1994, through a partnership between die U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, Federal Food and Drug Administration, National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Gulf States, the
Program undertook a strategic assessment of die issues impacting
shellfish bed closures in die Gulf region. The assessment was
considered strategic because it sought to define the scale and scope
of problems across die watersheds of die US portion of the Gulf. It
brought togedier stakeholders widi relevant data dirough a struc-
tured process designed to identify die most feasible strategies to
meet die environmental objective, while taking into account time and
resource constraints, as well as competing priorities.
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Maintain and improve Gulf habitats
tliiat support living resources
Habitats and living things are interrelated in a delicate balance. A plant
may provide the habitat necessary for the survival of an animal, and the
behavior of an animal may support the growth of a plant. The coastal
zone of the Gulf of Mexico is endowed with immensely productive
habitats, including five million acres of coastal wetlands (approximately
half of the total wetlands in the United States). Many species, including
some that are threatened or endangered by extinction, utilize this rich
ecosystem. For example, of the world's seven endangered, threatened, or
rare species of sea turtles, five inhabit Gulf waters. Approximately 92-98
percent of the Gulfs commercial fish and shellfish rely on estuaries
(wetlands and open water) for at least part of their life cycle.
During the last few decades; Gulf of Mexico habitats, including forested
wetlands, marshes, seagrassbeds, mangrove forests, and coral reefs, have
begun to show signs of declining environmental quality. Both natural and
human-related factors can degrade habitats and lead to the disruption of
the entire ecosystem. In the Gulf of Mexico, these human-related factors
include runoff from various land use practices, discharges of sewage,
marine debris, and physical alterations, such as dredging and construc-
tion. Even with the increased awareness of their value, coastal habitats
also continue to be lost to development.
What is habitat iossf
In coastal waters and wetland types, vegetation is a defining habitat feature.
Thus, reductions or the disappearance of coastal vegetation are indicative of
habitat loss. Such losses have occurred extensively. Habitat losses are
most often linked to geologic instabilities, rapid changes in meteorologic
conditions, and human activities. Local, statewide, regional, and even national
implications to the economy, social customs, and food supplies, as well as the
health and well-being of people and their property, are consequences of
historic and future habitat losses.
Hypoxia is a low oxygen condition that occurs annually off the
Louisiana/Texas coast. Hypoxia conditions have been linked tentatively
to excessive nutrients, specifically nitrogen and phosphate, from urban,
municipal, industrial and rural sources with the Gulf of Mexico water-
shed that comprises two-thirds of the continental United States, as well
as parts of Canada and Mexico. The hypoxia zone occurs primarily
during the summer months and has been known to reach an estimated
7000 square miles in size.
Of the five leading causes of water quality impairments nationwide,
nutrient enrichment ranks first for lakes and estuaries and third for rivers.
According to recent studies, it has been estimated that over 70 percent of
the total nitrogen entering the Gulf comes from the combined drainage
of the Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers. For this reason, the Gulf of
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Mexico Program has launched significant efforts to educate
citizens about the impacts of excess nutrient loadings to surface
water throughout the drainage basin.
The Gulf of Mexico Program's solution to the problem of nutri-
ent over-enrichment relies on supporting national efforts to
Improve land management practices throughout the watershed and
to prevent and reduce releases by significant air and water sources
of nutrients. Innovative actions at the federal, state, and local
levels that can be taken without new laws and regulations are being
encouraged and supported. The Program's approach, incorporat-
ing public and private stewardship actions and science support,
will address environmental changes in the system and develop the
data and science-based tools needed to formulate water resource
policies, improve ecosystem health and protect valuable living
resources and their habitats in the Mississippi watershed and
northern Gulf of Mexico.
What Is «c©»& nutrient enrichment?
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While nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus) and silica are essential for the
growih o^ plants, excess amounts can literally be too much of a good
thing. Too many nutrients can cause an overgrowth, or bloom, of
algae. When these algal blooms decay, oxygen is depleted in the
water, ref Mlting in fish Kills arid other detrimental effects to sea life.
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Maintain and enhance the
sustainability of Gulf living resources
Living resources include all living organisms, both animals and plants,
that depend on the Gulf of Mexico for nourishment for all or a portion
of their life cycles. All living resources within an ecosystem are con-
nected in an intricate balance. A nonindigenous species, once it is
established in a new habitat, can drive out native species and disrupt the
ecological balance. To respond to the threats to living resources in Gulf
coastal waters and habitats, the Gulf of Mexico Program is focusing on
titie emerging issue of introductions of nonindigenous species.
Within the United States alone, humans have introduced more than
4,500 terrestrial and aquatic species to areas outside their historic
ranges. While many of these introductions have economic and social
benefits, a number of them pose a significant threat to the biological
diversity of coastal waters and ecosystems, and can have tremendous
negative economic impacts as well. For example, the Barataria/
Terrebonne Estuary Program reports that nutria populations have
skyrocketedfrom afew accidentally released animals in 1937, to a
currently uncontroltoble level. In 1991, nutria caused an estimated $2
million in damage to the sugarcane industry in Louisiana. Nutria, which
have virtually replaced the native muskrat population, eat vegetation
down to the ground level and build burrows in mud banks, thus con-
tributing to Louisiana's serious coastal erosion problem.
The problem to be addressed withnonindigenous species is how to
control their spread in the Gulf of Mexico. The solutions will often lie
in the hands of a knowledgeable and caring public. For example, it
appears that recreational boaters are one of the major causes for the
rapid spread of the zebra mussel. The water in the boat's live wells and
bilge, or the aquatic plants that catch on boat trailers, are the probable
culprits. First introduced in the United States from Europe, zebra
mussels have spread from the Great Lakes to the Gulf Coast States
of Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama through the Mississippi
drainage basin.
The Program is currently working to determine the status of
nonindigenous species, identifying how they reach the Gulf region,
and determining which native species are at risk.
What are "nonindigenous" species?
A nonindigenous species is a plant or animal that has been released, either
naturally, on purpose, or by accident, beyond its historical geographic range.
These species can eradicate or reduce native species through predation and
competition. Some nonindigenous species can degrade wetlands and marsh
areas through overgrazing, these impacts can fundamentally alter the food
web and shift the ecosystem balance.
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Public Health Goal: Shellfish Beds
Over half of the nine million acres of shellfish-growing waters in the
Gulf of Mexico have regulatory limitations on harvest, due to pollution
or regulatory requirements associated with pollution sources.
Habitat Goal: Hyponia
Hypoxia, tentatively linked to excessive nutrients, is a serious threat to
the United States' economy and the environment. In years past, the
hypoxic zone in the Gulf of Mexico covered an area of nearly 4,000
square miles. After the 1993 Mississippi River flood, it increased to
nearly 7,000 square miles. In addition, approximately one-third of Gulf
estuaries are either experiencing hypoxia or are potentially affected by
excessive nutrient enrichment
Habitat Goal: Habitat Loss
Fifty percent of the original wetland acreage has been lost in Alabama,
Florida, and Texas. Wetland acreage in Louisiana, once half of the state's
surface area, has declined to less than one-third over the last 200 years.
Nearly three-fifths of Mississippi's wetlands have been converted to
non-wetland uses.
Living Resources Goal: Nonindigenous Species
Introduced plant and animal species are a significant concern in the
coastal states due to their encroachment on sensitive native wetland
communities, and their potential social and economic impacts on the
Gulf of Mexico ecosystem. For example, the phenomenal growth of
brown mussels has dramatically increased the maintenance requirements
of navigational aids.
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Mississippi
40 projects
$2,324,875
Texas Louisiana
43 projects 22 projects
,503,213 $1,025,718
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Alabama .
18 projects
$1,922,334
Gulfwide 44 projects $ 2,356,064
Caribbean 2 projects $ 151,250
Total 211 projects $12,221,423
Florida
42 projects'
$2,937,696;
Since its formation in 1988, the
Gulf of Mexico Program Office
has been committed to sponsoring
projects that will benefit the
environmental health of the Gulf
region. These projects, numbering
over 200, vary immensely, from
"shovel-in-the-ground" demon-
stration projects to scientific research to public education. While different
in their approaches, the projects have a single united purpose—to
improve the ecological vitality and enhance the economic sustainability of
the Gulf region. These projects have also fostered the development of
successful partnerships between federal, state, and local governments, as
well as research, academic, non-governmental, business, and industry
shareholders. The following five case studies provide examples of the
range of projects sponsored by the Program Office and highlight the
progress that has been made towards protecting Gulf resources.
Public Outreach
In support of the concept that environmental progress happens one
person at a time, approximately 35 percent of the over 200 projects
funded by the Gulf of Mexico Program have been public outreach
and education oriented. The Gulf of Mexico Program has also forged
a tradition of giving a "report card" to the public on the status of the
Gulf by sponsoring "The Gulf of Mexico Symposium." Held in 1990,
1992, and 1995, the symposia have averaged approximately 1,500 in
attendance, and have brought, together teachers, students, the
general public, government representatives, and scientists to share
information on the status of the health of the Gulf of Mexico.
Information Management
One of the major challenges in managing a resource as geographi-
cally and organizationally broad as the Gulf of Mexico is information
management. The Gulf of Mexico Program provides the information
management structure and coordination to effectively utilize and
share environmental data among all of the participating resource
agencies and organizations. The Gulf of Mexico Program has a
homepage on the Internet and data and information transfer is largely
accomplished through the Gulf Information Network (GIN).
http://mrn.pellcan.gmpo.gov
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Wetland Restoration
Texas' Galveston Bay System is worth hundreds of millions of dollars to
the local economy, and habitat destruction is the number one environ-
mental problem in the bay system. For decades, salt water marshes in
Galveston Bay were drowned by severe subsidence and destroyed by
harmful dredging practices. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has
documented the loss of more than 20,000 acres of salt marsh since the
1950s.
Today, the switch from ground to surface water supplies has subsidence
under control. Dredging practices have also been drastically improved.
Now, die push is on to restore thousands of acres of wetlands. The
process of restoration is slow and tedious. Restoration workers create
marshes plant by plant, acre by acre. They alternately fight deep mud,
invasive water hyacinths and animals, like nutria, carp, deer, and rabbits,
that graze on the new plants.
To support wetland restoration efforts in Galveston Bay, the Program
Office funded a project through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's
(USDA) Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS). The objective
of this project was to speed up marsh restoration efforts, boost their
effectiveness, and improve the overall chance for success.
The project's approach was to cultivate various species of salt marsh
plants in containers for use in marsh restoration along the Texas Gulf
Coast. Previously, these plants were not grown for restoration projects.
Instead, young plants were removed from native stands and transported
to a marsh restoration site. This old method is costly and time-consum-
ing, and limits the extent and location of possible restoration. It can also
risk the health of native plant stands. This project made the use of these
species of wetland plants more practical and less damaging to native
stands.
Once the cultivated plants were ready, volunteers planted them in various
areas around Houston and Galveston Bay. Approximately four acres of
smooth cordgrass were planted along the Trinity River. One thousand
bald cypress trees were planted in the Trinity River National Wildlife
Refuge. An additional 4,000 bald cypress trees were planted along the San
Jfadnto River and other sites. The overall success rate for all of these
plantings is greater than 90 percent. In total, 12 sites received plantings,
including bald cypress trees, black mangrove trees, as well as other
species of wetland plants. NRCS will continue to monitor these sites for
survival and success.
Most of the species used in this project were successfully raised in an
artificial environment. Once the initial stock was obtained, new plants
were obtained through seed harvesting and germination, orpropagation
tlirough cuttings. This technique allows for the acquisition of plants
without damaging existing wetlands. This project successfully demon-
strated that the taking of plants from one marsh to another does not
have to be die standard mediod of practice for wedand restoration.
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Bay Ramfoo Artificial Reef
The Bay Rambo artificial reef is located within Lafourche Parish, Louisi-
ana. The site was chosen because Bay Rambo is a rapidly eroding shore-
line. Erosion of Louisiana's coastal marshes is aggravated by the fact that
the lowland soils are composed largely of clays devoid of sand. Produc-
tion of calcium carbonate by shellfish is one of the few ways in which
such beach-forming particles can be introduced into the environment.
The purpose of the project supported by the Program Office was to
initiate growth of a 500-foot-long chain of high, vertical profile reefs
along the shoreline of Bay Rambo that would provide a stable framework
for oyster growth, help form a barrier against future erosion, and
diversify shoreline habitat in the area. Implementation of the project
involved the fabrication of 80 hollow core, triangular cross-section units
that were loaded with seed oysters and installed at the project location to
form the nucleus areas of oyster reefs. The triangular units were then
arranged to form the reef skeleton. This technique resulted in a more
rapid formation of reef habitat than would be possible through natural
reefevolution.
One year after installation, the reef blocks are still withstanding and
adapting to the natural conditions of the Bay. Preliminary studies indicate
that the number of seed oysters per cultch shell has doubled, and are
exhibiting a strong tendency to grow through the openings of the plastic
mesh bags. Sediment has been accumulating behind the reef, further
stabilizing the in-place structures, and many species offish and wildlife,
including game fish and shrimp, are populating the environment created
by the artificial reef. Some saline marsh has also been restored between
the reef and the shoreline as the areas of increased sediment deposition
have become naturally more vegetated.
Increase in oyster she
monitoring inspection
Per Reef Unit
for 12 cm oysters
Total seed oysters
Total seed valves
Weight of seed
oyster shells
Volume of seed
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Projected
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Shellfish Growing Water Restoration
In 1993, the Jackson County Board of Supervisors received a grant
from the Program Office as part of the Gulf Program's Shellfish
Growing Water Restoration Demonstration Program. Under this
restoration program, the Gulf Program sought to fund projects in
cadi Gulf State that would lead to improvements in water quality
in nearshore shellfish growing areas. The major cause of poor
water quality and harvest closures in these areas is elevated levels
of fecal coliform bacteria that enter these waters from poorly
functioning or failed residential septic systems. This problem is
common to coastal areas due to poor soil conditions and high
water tables that limit the functional capabilities of traditional
septic systems.
The major goals of each project funded under the Gulf Program
Shellfish Growing Water Restoration Demonstration Program was
the demonstration of ways that would lead to reduced levels of
fecal coliform in shellfish growing waters and the subsequent
reduction of their closure time.
Hie Jackson County project called for the replacement of approxi-
mately 41 failing or poorly operating septic systems along Bayou
Cumbest in the southeastern area of the county. This area has the
highest concentration of residences in the region and is the appar-
ent source of fecal coliform that pollutes the nearby Bangs Lake
oyster beds. Under this project, the existing septic systems were
replaced with the recently developed rock-reed treatment system.
Rock-reed systems are one of the few types of systems that allow
adequate treatment of residential wastewater and reduce leaching
of effluents in poor soil conditions.
Rock-Reed Filter Systems: Mean Fecal Coliform Levels
3,500,000.0
3,000,000.0 -|
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2,000,000.0
1,500,000.0
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Demonstration Project in Sewage Management
There is a strong connection between the presence of fecal
coliform bacteria and the permanent or conditional closure of
over half of the shellfish-growing waters along the Gulf Coast.
The Weeks Bay Estuary, situated on the eastern shore of Mobile
Bay, in Baldwin County,
Alabama, has been closed to commercial shellfishing for many years
due to elevated fecal coliform levels. Surveys of the shorelines of
Mobile Bay and Weeks Bay Estuary pointed to the heavy reliance on
septic tank systems for onsite wastewater disposal. Almost 65 percent
of Baldwin County's population is served by onsite sewage treatment
and disposal system, with more than 1,250 septic tank systems being
installed annually.
In October 1992, the Gulf of Mexico Program approved
funding for a project in sewage management to demon-
strate a reduction of fecal coliform bacteria in shellfish-
growing waters in the
Weeks Bay Estuary. The Alabama Department of Public Health
selected twenty residential properties along the shoreline adjacent
to Weeks Bay—all had defective sewage disposal systems that
were contaminating the bay. NewPuraflo™ biofiltration systems,
developed in Ireland, were installed at each site. Bord na Mona,
the Irish quasi-government Peat Board, provided funding for the
equipment needed for this project.
The Puraflo™ systems use peat, a more fibrous type than
commonly used in gardening, for filtration and purification of
wastewater effluent. Traditional septic systems use soil for filtra-
tion and purification. Unfortunately, much of the soil along the
Gulf Coast is unsuitable for proper treatment of wastewater
effluent. Also, the high water-table in the area keeps the soil
saturated and causes septic systems to malfunction.
The results of the Weeks Bay Estuary project showed that the
peat medium produced good removal rates of fecal coliform
bacteria and biological oxygen demand in the treated effluent—a
significant improvement over the removal rates for traditional
septic systems. The project was a success because it demon-
strated an alternative onsite wastewater treatment system for the
purposes of protecting sensitive coastal environments, or places
where space and other site limitations prevail.
Bord na Mona has applied the knowledge learned at Weeks Bay to
another demonstration in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, which consistently
achieved even higher reduction numbers. The results of both
demonstration projects confirm that alternative systems can provide an
effective option for reducing contamination of shellfish-growing waters
along the Gulf Coast.
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Health Professional Education Program
Tlie health care profession can play a critical role in preventing
and reducing illness due to seafood consumption. The challenge
was to provide these professionals with answers to questions
such as: How prevalent is seafood poisoning in your state?
Who are the "at risk" patients? What are the best ways to
counsel patients on this topic?
The goal of the Five-State Health Professional Education
Program was to provide education on shellfish consumption
risks, potential sources of contamination, diagnosis and treat-
ment, patient education, and individual state reporting require-
ments. The training program was developed with specific
sessions on the scope of seafood-borne illness, common
microorganisms which affect the safety of seafood, classes of
nonmicrobial seafood-borne biological toxins, sensitive popula-
tions and predisposing conditions that increase susceptibility to
Seafood-borne illness, and effective means of communicating
risks to patient populations at high risk.
To date, thisprogranihas been responsible for the
training and education of over 800 health professionals,
including physicians, nurses, physician assistants,
pharmacists, andlocalpublichealth staff, throughout the
five Gulf States.
The training materials and presentations have been enthusiasti-
cally received and the response from health professionals has
been uniformly and demonstrably excellent. Over 90 percent of
die participants indicated that they would be able to use the
course information in their medical practices.
With funding provided by the Program Office, this project was
conducted by Florida State University's Center for Biomedical
and Toxicological Research, in collaboration with the Depart-
ment of Human Nutrition at the University of Florida. This
project fosters a continued joint effort providing an excellent
and proven base for the development and implementation of
quality education programs.
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Distribution of FY96 Extramural Funds ($3.7M)
Administrative
10%
IJTechical Support
25%
Information Management
26%
Shellfish]
13%
Hypoxia
6%
Distribution of FY97 Extramural Funds ($3.1 M)
Habitat
4%
Outreach
10%
Administrative
10%
Shellfish
17%
Technical Support
17%
Hypoxia
22%
Information Management
15%
Nonindigenous Species
5%
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The Gulf of Mexico Program began reallocating its avail-
able extramural resources in 1996 to better address the four
priority environmental objectives for near-term focus. The
majority of resources were directed toward hypoxia and
shellfish strategic assessment and implementation with
outreach and information management efforts also directed
in these areas.
Support for the Gulf of Mexico Program is through the
Coastal Environmental Management appropriation for the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This base funding
has decreased substantially because of directed and agency
cuts. Despite these reductions, the Gulf of Mexico Pro-
gram has continued to fund approximately $ 2 million in
strategic community projects in both 1996 and 1997. The
Program will implement a streamlined planning and budget-
ing process in 1998 based on strategic assessment of the
four focus areas. A funding guidance plan and a specific
request for proposals will be distributed in the fall of 1997.
This funding plan will focus on results that strengthen die
sustainability of the regional economy and environment,
while seeking the most cost-effective solutions to problems
in the most expedient time frames.
Historical Base Funding 1988 - 1998
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
-
-
This chart does not include in-kind support from Gulf of Mexico Program partners.
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one out ortwo ovstets are landed from the Gulr
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value of $30 million.
visiting counties
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t
cers in Louisiana alone.
\onal Marine Fishery Service, Center for Marine
^in^'MKsissi^fS^fe University, Coalition to Restore Coastal
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Fornioreinformationortoobtaincopies, please contact
Gulf of Mexico Program Office
Building 1 103, Room 202
Stennis Space Center, MS
39529-6000
Phone:(228)688-3726
Fax:(228)688-2709 :
For general information on Gulf of Mexico
environmental issues, please visit the Gulf of Mexico
Program website: http://pelican.gmpo.gov
orpol«^of1heOulfofMexicoPmgramnarofanyof1he
ccmtribiOorstoitepubliGation. Meniicnoftmdenames(mdcommeKial
EnuhwmimteaPmtecUanAgmcymnima. EPA855-R-97-O03,
December 1997.
Printed on recydedpaper.
Printed on Recycled Paper
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