Takahashi-Kelso writes that restoring Gulf of Mexico requires larger approach
It has been more than two years since the Deepwater Horizon oil disaster hammered the Gulf of Mexico with an unprecedented 200 million gallons of crude oil, but we are still seeing the effects today. Coast Guard officials have confirmed that an oil slick found in the Gulf last week matched oil from the spill two years ago.
While the Coast Guard has said the oil slick "does not post a threat to the shoreline," it most certainly will affect the Gulf's offshore waters. Although this marine environment is not as easily observable as the coastal shoreline, it is just as vital to the region's overall health.
In fact, during the initial oil disaster, the vast majority of the toxic exposure to fish, wildlife and ecosystem functions occurred offshore -- in marine waters.
leatherback hatchlingThat's why restoring this American treasure requires an approach that addresses marine resources as well as coastal environments and Gulf communities. The nation must commit effort and money to address all three in order to achieve a resilient, healthy Gulf with a sustainable future.