Abstract |
The Gulf of Mexico contains ecological and commercial resources matched by few other bodies of water. Yet its blue-green waters disguise the increasing environmental threats that endanger these resources. In recognition of the growing threats, Regions 4 and 6 of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), which share jurisdiction over the five Gulf Coast States (Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas), initiated the Gulf of Mexico Program in August 1988. The goal of the Gulf of Mexico Program is to protect, restore, and enhance the coastal and marine waters of the Gulf of Mexico and its coastal natural habitats, to sustain living resources, to protect human health and the food supply, and to ensure the recreational use of Gulf shores, beaches, and waters-win ways consistent with the economic well being of the region. |