Gulf of Mexico Overview The Gulf of Mexico Most productive body of - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Gulf of Mexico Overview

The Gulf of Mexico Most productive body of water in the World: 24 million marine recreational fishing  615,000 sq miles trips/year  Contains 643 quadrillion gallons of water 47% of recreational catch is released  12,375 ft at its deepest point 217 sq. miles  Over 15,419 species in Gulf Waters converted from marsh to open water from  1.3 billion pounds of commercial seafood Katrina & Rita  44% of US marine recreational catch  50% of the nation’s wetlands (100% of mangroves)  Diversity Habitats - LMR: marsh & mangroves, corals and seagrasses, fish, oysters, turtles, marine mammals, shorebirds, crabs and shrimp

The Gulf of Mexico Vital economic engine for the Nation: The population of the Gulf Region increased by 109% since 1970  8.3 million coastal jobs (>120,000 oil & gas) $359 billion in wages − $15.6billion in oil &  Nearly 4,000 active oil & gas platforms gas wages  $5 – 6 billion annually to the U.S Treasury 8% of the jobs are in  Transportation corridor for the world tourism & recreation  Key to the energy security of the nation  Largest watershed in North America  The nation benefits, the region suffers

The Gulf of Mexico Vital economic engine for the Nation:  > 56 Million People live in Gulf states, 21 million in coastal area  70% of total U.S. Shrimp Landings  62% of U.S. Oyster Landings  7 th in global Gross Domestic Product  50% of the nation’s trade tonnage  >50% of National Oil & Gas Production  ~50% of National Refinery Capacity

Extensive Oil and Gas Structures

More on Population Distribution

Gulf Challenges  Sustaining Gulf Economy  Habitat Loss (subsidence)  Sediment Management  Excessive Nutrients (Water Quality)  Tropical Storms  Man-made disasters  Fresh-Water Inflow  Sea Level Rise  Seafood Safety  Population Shifts  Fresh Water Inputs  Harmful Algal Blooms  Invasive Species  Transportation  Beach Closures

Gulf Challenges and Opportunities HURRICANE KATRINA Tropical Storms  MS/Louisiana Recovery Road-map  Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force  RESTORE

Gulf Challenges and Opportunities Deep Water Horizon  Clean-up  Data Collection  RESTORE, NRDA, NFWF  Clean-Water Enforcement  Research

Previous Spills

Gulf Challenges and Opportunities Coastal Land Loss  3.4 Million Acres of Wetlands  Losing an area the size of a football field every 38 minutes  2,400 sq. miles by 2050

Gulf Challenges and Opportunities 2 nd Largest Hypoxic Zone in the World

New Orleans Hypoxic Area

Loss of Natural Flood Storage

Sources of Nutrients into the Gulf

MORE on the ongoing activity dealing with the oil spill…

Largest Oil-Spill Related Revenue Streams Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) - How bad was the injury?; what do we do to recover from the injury? - Paid for by responsible parties through the Oil Pollution Act RESTORE Act - Passed by Congress & signed by the President in 2012 - Lays out a program to spend Clean Water act Civil fines for restoration and economic development activities National Fish & Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) - NFWF chartered by Congress as independent 501(c)(3) in 1984 - Stemming from criminal plea: Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund - $2.544 B over 5 years

RESTORE Act Structure Oil Spill Clean Water Act Penalties 20% Liability Trust Fund 80% Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund 30% 30% 2.5% 35% Evenly split among the 5 Gulf states 2.5% To Gulf Coast Ecosystem To the states consistent with the NOAA Centers of Restoration Council to goals and objectives of the Gulf Coast Excellence implement the Compre- Comprehensive Plan and based Ecosystem (supplemented hensive Plan on the following allocation Restoration AL FL LA MS TX by 25% of the Formula: Science interest (supplemented by 50% Observation generated by of the interest generated Alabama Gulf Coast Recovery Council Department of Environmental Quality 25% to other coastal counties based - The proportion of the number of miles of 75% to most impacted counties Monitoring the Trust Fund) 30% to coastal parishes based on by the Trust Fund) oiled shoreline per state compared to total And number of miles of oiled shoreline; 70% to the state Governor’s Office Technology on allocation formula allocation formula Program -The inverse proportion of the average distance from the DWH rig to oiled shoreline of each state; (supplemented by 25% of the -The average population of coastal interest counties per the 2010 census. generated by the Trust Fund) AL FL LA TX MS 4/16/2014 18

A Process Model Highlighting Overlap and Coordination Challenges (yes, this is going to make your head hurt)

P P P P P Project Idea P P P P P Layer P P P

P P P P P Project Idea P P P P P Layer P P P Economic Restoration Assessment Development Project Category Layer Research Monitoring

P P P P P Project Idea P P P P P Layer P P P Economic Restoration Assessment Development Project Category Layer Research Monitoring Project Acceptance, Priority Setting & Funding Layer

A Closer Look at this Layer… • Each face of this geometric figure represents a distinct entity with its own funding authority. • Each entity has its own: mission / function requirements governance set of players anticipated projects to fulfill mission objectives • There is significant overlap across the entities in mission, anticipated projects, and players • This model is illustrative – not inclusive of all case resolutions. Project Acceptance, Priority Setting & Funding Layer

P P P P P P P Project Idea P P P P P Layer P Economic Restoration Assessment Development Project Category Layer Research Monitoring Project Acceptance, Priority Setting & Funding Layer Project Delivery & Management Layer

P P P P P P Project Idea P P P P Layer P P P Economic Restoration Assessment Development Project Category Layer Research Monitoring It’s so simple, what could possibly go wrong? IT Project Acceptance, Priority Setting & Funding Layer Project Delivery & Management Layer

P P P P P P Project Idea P P P P Layer P P P Economic Restoration Assessment Development Project Category Layer Research Monitoring Project Acceptance, Priority Setting & Funding Layer Project Delivery & Management Layer

P P P P P P Project Idea P P P P Layer P P P Economic Restoration Assessment Development Project Category Layer Research Monitoring Project Acceptance, Priority Setting & Funding Layer Project Delivery & Management Layer

P P P P P P Project Idea P P P P Layer P P P Economic Restoration Assessment Development Project Category Layer Research Monitoring Project Acceptance, Priority Setting & Funding Layer Project Delivery & Management Layer

P P P P P P Project Idea P P P P Layer P P P Economic Restoration Assessment Development Project Category Layer Research Monitoring Project Acceptance, Priority Setting & Funding Layer Project Delivery TILT & Management Layer

P P P P P So, What Do We Do About This? P Project Idea P P P P Layer P P P Economic Restoration Assessment Development Project Category Layer Research Monitoring S Project Acceptance, Priority Setting & Funding Layer Project Delivery & Management Layer

P P P P P So, What Do We Do About This? P Project Idea P P P P Layer P P P -Talk (and listen) to each other 1) At leadership level Economic Restoration Assessment Development Project Category - Understand mission objectives and processes Layer - Significant overlap between NRDA and RESTORE already exists Research Monitoring 2) At science level S - A lot of work is underway or done; don’t recreate the wheel 3) At public level - find and advertise ways for public stakeholders to become and stay engaged Project Acceptance, Priority Setting & Funding Layer Project Delivery & Management Layer

P P P P P So, What Do We Do About This? P Project Idea P P P P Layer P P P - Talk (and listen) to each other 1) At leadership level - Understand mission objectives and processes Economic Restoration Assessment Development Project Category - Significant overlap between NRDA and RESTORE already exists Layer Research Monitoring 2) At science level S - A lot of work is underway or done; don’t recreate the wheel 3) At public level - find and advertise ways for public stakeholders to become and stay Project Acceptance, engaged Priority Setting & Funding Layer - Seek outcomes that are sustainable and partnership driven - e.g. Florida NEP proposal; the Nature Conservancy Project Delivery & Management Layer

Questions? Ben Scaggs Keala Hughes Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council Gulf of Mexico Program EPA Gulf of Mexico Program US EPA 228-688-3726 228-688-2651 scaggs.ben@epa.gov hughes.keala@epa.gov