BILOXI, Miss. – Mississippi Gulf of Mexico Commission Co-Chairs Dr. Bill Walker, executive director of the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, and Trudy Fisher, executive director of the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, announced Jan. 14, 2011, the release of the commission’s report “Vision for Gulf Coast Recovery, Restoration and Protection.”
The commission will accept public comments on the vision plan for the next 30 days. The full vision plan is available on the Mississippi Gulf of Mexico Commission Web site, www.mgomc.org.
Governor Haley Barbour formed the commission in August and charged the group to develop a long-term vision plan to enhance the Gulf of Mexico for the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
The Mississippi Gulf of Mexico Commission is a broad-based board of scientists, business leaders and seafood industry workers, with representatives of state and local governments acting as ex officio members.
“The Deepwater Horizon explosion and spill last summer showed us all how many different ways the Gulf Coast is important to Mississippi,” Gov. Haley Barbour said. “It’s important that we have a plan going forward to look out for the economic and ecological interests, because on the Gulf Coast especially, the economy is tied so closely to the environment.”
The commission worked closely with the Gulf of Mexico Alliance and various state agencies to develop the plan to submit to Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus, the former Mississippi governor tapped to lead the long-term restoration of the Gulf of Mexico.
The commission’s vision plan contains a broad set of goals and objectives designed to create positive long-term, sustainable benefits for the region. The vision plan also assesses and evaluates existing and emerging data, reports and plans relative to those goals and objectives.
“I am very thankful to the commissioners for spending quality time producing this vision document for the recovery, restoration and protection of the Mississippi Gulf Coast,” Walker said. “The final draft released today is a comprehensive document that provides a path forward as we all work together to implement this comprehensive vision for the future of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Region.”
“It has been a privilege for me to have the opportunity to work with the members of the commission on this important work,” Fisher said. “I look forward to the public’s review, their opinions, and also their comments to enhance the report.”
The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources is dedicated to enhancing, protecting and conserving marine interests of the state by managing all marine life, public trust wetlands, adjacent uplands and waterfront areas to provide for the optimal commercial, recreational, educational and economic uses of these resources consistent with environmental concerns and social changes. Visit the DMR online at www.dmr.ms.gov.
Source: Mississippi Department of Marine Resources