released on September 15, 2004
The Mississippi River Basin/Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Task Force approved a science reassessment plan to examine the causes and consequences of the dead (hypoxic) zone and nutrient reduction progress. A controversial paper released by EPA at the meeting, reported widely in the media and Science magazine, questioned the current focus on Nitrogen (N) reduction to improve hypoxia and suggested Phosphorous (P) may also be important. NOAA Ocean Service will take a leading role in science reassessment and reviewing the N and P controversy. The Task Force of representatives from 9 Federal agencies, 9 states and 2 tribes met on Aug. 31 and Sept. 1 in MN. Vice Admiral Lautenbacher represented NOAA on Aug. 31 and Rob Magnien represented NOAA Ocean Service on the Task Force’s Coordinating Committee and co-chair of the Monitoring, Modeling and Research (MMR) Workgroup. The MMR Workgroup released a report detailing current scientific programs and additional needs in the basin and Gulf, at: http://toxics.usgs.gov/hypoxia/task_force_workgroup.html. For more information contact Rob Magnien, rob.magnien@noaa.gov
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