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Regular Session, 2010
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 40
BY SENATOR B. GAUTREAUX
CONGRESS. Memorializes Congress to support continued investment and progress in
alleviating the problem of hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico.
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON1
To memorialize the Congress of the United States to support continued investment and2
progress in alleviating the problem of hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico.3
WHEREAS, the spread of a large annual hypoxia zone in the Gulf of Mexico poses4
a significant threat to the health of Louisiana's productive coastal fishery and the5
communities and parishes who depend on it; and6
WHEREAS, the state of Louisiana has participated in the national effort to reduce7
the spread of Gulf hypoxia since the formation of the federal-state Mississippi River/Gulf8
of Mexico Watershed Nutrient Task Force in 1998; and9
WHEREAS, the Louisiana Legislature has memorialized the Congress and the10
President of the United States to fulfill their commitment to address this problem through11
the cooperative framework of the Action Plan for Reducing Hypoxia in the Northern Gulf12
of Mexico, in House Concurrent Resolution 80 of the 2007 Regular Session of the13
Legislature of Louisiana and House Concurrent Resolution 148 of the 2009 Regular Session14
of the Legislature of Louisiana; and15
WHEREAS, the launching of the Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds16
Initiative by the United States Department of Agriculture in 2009, marks the first targeted17
federal funding for implementation activities of the Action Plan since it was signed in 2001;18 SCR NO. 40
SLS 10RS-1174 ORIGINAL
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and1
WHEREAS, Louisiana has joined the other states in the Mississippi River Basin who2
are participating in this initiative to engage partners and stakeholders in nominating3
watersheds to receive federal funding under this program; and4
WHEREAS, the President's Budget for Fiscal Year 2011, also contains funding5
dedicated to Action Plan implementation activities under the budget of the United States6
Environmental Protection Agency; and7
WHEREAS, our neighboring state of Mississippi has accepted the role of co-chair8
of the Mississippi River/Watershed Nutrient Task Force, continuing their active9
collaboration with Louisiana and federal and basin partners to address problems affecting10
each state's coast and the Gulf of Mexico; and11
WHEREAS, these steps represent a significant acceleration of progress, while all12
parties involved recognize that much more remains to be done to reverse the spread of Gulf13
hypoxia, which requires Congressional participation and support.14
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby15
memorialize the Congress of the United States to support continued investment and progress16
in implementing the Action Plan for Reducing Hypoxia in the North Gulf of Mexico by17
expanding cooperative activities throughout the Mississippi River Basin.18
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution shall be transmitted19
to the secretary of the United States Senate, the clerk of the United States House of20
Representatives, each member of the Louisiana delegation to the Congress of the United21
States, and the presiding officers of the Senate and the House of Representatives of the22
Congress of the United States.23
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Curry Johnson.
DIGEST
B. Gautreaux SCR No.
Memorializes Congress to support continued investment and progress in alleviating the
problem of hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico.