Breaux Act Newsflash - Governor's Gulf of Mexico Alliance Extends Public Input Period on Draft Action Plan to March 20, 2009

Governor's Gulf of Mexico Alliance Extends Public Input Period on Draft
Action Plan to March 20, 2009

The Governor's Gulf of Mexico Alliance, a partnership among the five states
bordering the Gulf to improve water quality and habitat, has extended the
public input period regarding a draft of its second plan to reduce nutrient
input, improve community resiliency, restore coastal wetlands and expand
environmental education until Friday, March 20, 2009.

The Draft Action Plan II can be read by clicking the following
http://www.gulfofmexicoalliance.org

Comments may be provided directly at
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=JxpweEqgvvqLdm_2f35MGcQg_3d_3d

The Gulf of Mexico Alliance was initiated in 2004 with the goal of
significantly increasing regional collaboration among Louisiana,
Mississippi, Texas, Alabama and Florida to enhance the ecological and
economic health of the Gulf region with the support of a host of federal
agencies. The Alliance established six primary subjects to explore and
advance:

1. Water Quality for Healthy Beaches and Shellfish Beds

2. Wetland and Coastal Conservation and Restoration

3. Environmental Education

4. Identification and Characterization of Gulf Habitats

5. Reducing Nutrient Inputs to Coastal Ecosystems

6. Coastal Community Resiliency

The first action of the Alliance was to release the Governors' Action Plan
for Healthy and Resilient Coasts, which challenged this new partnership to
make tangible, short-term progress between March 2006 and March 2009.

The Alliance established focused teams of regional stakeholders, called
Priority Issue Teams, to advance actions in the Governors' Action Plan. It
also formalized the alliance between the states and the federal partners.
With most of the original 73 Action Blueprint Steps complete, the Alliance
began work on a second regional collaboration blueprint, Draft Action Plan
II.

For more information, please log onto http://www.gulfofmexicoalliance.org

For more information about Louisiana's ongoing coastal restoration and
hurricane protection efforts, please contact Chris Macaluso at 225-342-3968
or by email at chris.macaluso@la.gov.