Gulf of Mexico Alliance

Teamwork can get more done. A good example of this is the Gulf of Mexico Alliance. The Alliance formed in 2004 as a pact between the governors of the five Gulf states (Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Texa, and Louisiana) to collaborate to improve the quality of the Gulf of Mexico and the quality of life for those who live near it.

The Alliance is focused on six areas related to Gulf health: water quality, habitat conservation and restoration, ecosystem assessment, nutrient impacts, coastal community resilience and environmental education. In 2006, the Alliance released The Governors’ Action Plan for Healthy and Resilient Coasts, detailing the local, state and federal partners and step-by-step actions to make improvements in these six areas. Soon, the Alliance will release an updated plan that marks its progress toward its goals.

The five coastal states are not alone along the Gulf of Mexico, and the Alliance is expanding its team by collaborating with the six Mexican states that border the Gulf. This international collaboration is an important step to improve the quality of the Gulf for all of us.

The entire Gulf of Mexico Alliance team recently met in Mobile, Ala., to discuss its progress and its next steps. You can read more about the Gulf watershed, the Alliance, and the Governors’ Plan, by visiting gulfofmexicoalliance.org.

[Coastal Comments archive]