Page 39 - South Mississippi Living - August, 2019

“There’s power in team work,” says Executive Director Laura Bowie. “The Gulf affects all the states and we’re building partnerships. With regional cooperation we are able to get way more done.”
GOMA receives funding from the five states, federal agencies and private entities. Governors of the Gulf states are leading the way with a Governors’ Action Plan for Healthy and Resilient Coasts. “In order to maintain these valuable energy resources, abundant seafood, and extraordinary recreational activities, the adjacent states assume great responsibility,” the Plan states.
Working with a Gulf of Mexico Alliance Management Team, the following priorities were established: + coastal resilience
+ data and monitoring
+ education and engagement + habitat resources
+ water resources
+ wildlife and fisheries.
The Alliance does not take sides or speak out on issues that might pit one state against another, such as the Bonnet Carré Spillway’s release of fresh water into the Gulf.
Taking a long range approach, Bowie says, “We believe we have found the formula for building relationships, trust and inclusive networks of individuals interested in working together to tackle region- wide issues impacting the Gulf and its coastal economies.”
The organization was established
in 2004 and has grown from a loose network of state and federal agencies to include 1,000 individuals and more than 65 agencies and groups from government, academia, business and non-profits. The Gulf Star program recognizes these partners, which
includes oil companies Shell, Hess and Chevron, leveraging private
funds against public funds. Building local green
economies is a priority
issue with emphasis on reducing
the amount of plastic that ends
up in the Gulf, such as straws and utensils, through education and incentives to local businesses. Eighty percent of marine debris is plastic and 50 percent of that is single-use disposable items such as straws. Skipping the plastic can have an immediate impact on reducing pollution.
Whitney LaFrance, manager of the Mockingbird Cafe in Bay St. Louis, has embraced that effort. “We were going through 4,000 plastic straws per week; most were being used
in the restaurant and then thrown away,” she said. “This is something we’ve wanted to do for a long time, and it’s much cheaper than the traditional products we were using.”
The city of Ocean Springs is a Gulf Star grant recipient. “Through the Gulf of Mexico Alliance small grant program, the city was able to identify options that reduced vulnerability with comparable construction costs, reduced maintenance costs, and improved aesthetics for Inner Harbor Park,” said Carolyn Martin with the city.
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August 2019 • SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living 39