Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force

The Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force was created by President Obama through an Executive Order (PDF) (5pp, 69K, About PDF) on October 5, 2010, and is the result of a recommendation made in Secretary Mabus' report (PDF) (122pp, 9MB, About PDF) on long term recovery following the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. By October 5, 2011, the Task Force is charged with development of a restoration strategy that proposes a Gulf Coast ecosystem restoration agenda.

Learn more information about the Task Force

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Protecting America's Gulf Coast:
The Gulf of Mexico Regional Ecosystem Restoration Strategy

 

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Science Developed to Support the Gulf of Mexico Ecosystem Regional Restoration Strategy

The GCERTF Science Coordination Team was assembled at the outset of the Task Force's Strategy development effort to bring together the observations and recommendations of state and agency scientists knowledgeable on Gulf restoration issues. It's work was managed by an interagency group of scientists assigned to assist in Strategy development. Given the compressed schedule for Strategy completion, much of their work ran parallel to other work involved in developing a consensus Task Force strategy document, but their efforts were very valuable in the Strategy formation process. The Task Force felt that this useful Gulf of Mexico Ecosystem Science Assessment and Needs (80pp, 1.6MB, About PDF) document should be made available to the public through this website.

 

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Gulf Coast Task Force Releases Final Ecosystem Restoration Strategy on December 5, 2011

The Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force today released its final strategy (PDF) (128 pp., 3.2 MB, About PDF) for long term ecosystem restoration for the Gulf Coast, following extensive feedback from citizens throughout the region. Former EPA Administrator and Task Force Chair Lisa P. Jackson, joined by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Administrator Jane Lubchenco, Council on Environmental Quality Chair Nancy Sutley, and USDA Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment Harris Sherman, made the announcement today during keynote remarks at the 2011 State of the Gulf of Mexico Summit in Houston. 

The Task Force delivered the final strategy on Friday, Dec. 2 to President Barack Obama, who established the Task Force by executive order to continue the Administration’s ongoing commitment to the Gulf region.

The strategy is the first restoration blueprint ever developed for the Gulf with the full involvement of all of the essential parties throughout the region, including the states, tribes, federal agencies, local governments and thousands of involved citizens and organizations.  The plan represents a commitment by all parties to continue to work together in an unprecedented collaboration to prepare the Gulf region to transition from response to recovery and address the decades-long decline that the Gulf’s ecosystem has endured.

This final strategy represents the Task Force’s strong commitment to the restoration of the Gulf Coast. The strategy was developed following more than 40 public meetings throughout the Gulf to listen to the concerns of the public.

The Vietnamese translation (125pp, 2.7MB, About PDF) and Spanish translation (144pp, 4.3MB, About PDF) of the final strategy are available also.

To sign up to receive automatic updates on Task Force activities and announcements, please email gulfcoasttaskforce@epa.gov to join the listserv.