Gulf Coast Task Force Offers Resources to Concerned Residents

The Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force was established back on Oct. 5 by President Obama. On Monday, March 28, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that the task force would be made more accessible to concerned residents in Louisiana, Florida, Mississippi, Texas, and Alabama who are looking to obtain information about the task force's operations, including task force meetings and other activities and projects on both local and state levels. Specifically, the EPA stated residents will be able to call the 1-855-427-9263 toll-free number to access information about the task force.

President Obama established the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force to address the ecological problems in the Gulf region following the damage caused by the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill that started on April 20, 2010 and wasn't officially sealed until Sept. 19. The executive order acknowledged the ecological richness and diversity throughout the Gulf of Mexico and along the coastal regions. Additionally, it also stated that the Gulf is prized for the mass amounts of tourism it sees every year and its status as a center for commercial fishing industries. The task force is committed to help residents along the Gulf Coast restore and conserve important ecosystems.

With this recent development, residents will have access to large amounts of resources and information. The toll-free number will put residents from any of the five states in touch with a task force member who is in charge of that state's development. The hours of operation are 8:30 am to 4:30 pm CST Monday through Friday. Additionally, residents will also be able to contact representatives from the EPA, Dept. of the Interior, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, all of which are actively involved in the Gulf restoration and conservation efforts.

Even though the BP Oil Spill was more than 11 months ago, recent research showed that the Gulf Coast is still struggling to recover. One specific study found that oil was still suffocating marine life on the ocean floor and that dead bodies of everything from starfish to crabs were coated with oil directly from the BP oil spill. In another recent development, the dead bodies of bottlenose dolphins have been washing up on the shores of beaches all along the coast. Scientists have been working overtime to find the cause and suspect that the BP oil spill may be the cause behind the sharp increase in the number of dead dolphins.

Rachel Krech provides an in-depth look at current environmental issues and local Chicago news stories. As a college student from the Chicago suburbs pursuing two science degrees, she applies her knowledge and passion to both topics to garner further public awareness.