USA: EPA Chief Leads Final Public Meeting of Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration

The Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force, created by President Obama by executive order to develop a comprehensive restoration strategy for the Gulf of Mexico, holds its final meeting in Biloxi, Mississippi.

President Obama selected EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, a native of New Orleans, to chair the task force which is comprised of 12 federal agencies and the five Gulf Coast states. The Biloxi meeting, the final in a series of six taking place across the Gulf, will further the task force’s ongoing work to support the conservation and restoration of resilient and healthy ecosystems in the Gulf. During the final meeting, the task force will receive input from Mississippi experts and leaders on coastal restoration and community partnerships.

On October 5, 2010, President Obama issued Executive Order 13554 to create the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force, furthering the administration’s ongoing commitment to the Gulf region. The task force works to integrate federal restoration efforts with those of local stakeholders and state and tribal governments, and to facilitate accountability and support throughout the restoration process.

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Source: epa, September 1, 2011;