One Gulf, resilient Gulf: A plan for coastal community recovery
To continue the way of life along the Gulf Coast and to receive the benefits this region has to offer, there is a critical need for investments to make the natural, man-made, and social environments more resilient.
The BP Deepwater Horizon drilling disaster has become the largest oil spill in the history of our country and already has resulted in the deaths of 11 men. In addition to better protecting coastal communities by improving the safety and oversight of the use of the Outer Continental Shelf and offshore drilling, the administration of President Barack Obama and Congress should move quickly to support a robust long-term recovery plan.
With the well site now capped, it is critical to address the disaster's short- and long-term challenges, as well as the historical problems it has intensified, with a plan that offers opportunity for the many people suffering economically, ensures that those affected have a voice, and recognizes the teachable moment from this disaster to catalyze a transition towards promoting investments and industries across the Gulf that build coastal community resiliency.