The Gulf Dead Zone- an area of very low oxygen (hypoxia) that forms every year in the Gulf of Mexico. The size of the dead zone has been as large as 8,000 square miles, about the size of New Jersey.
Oxygen levels fall below what is necessary for most marine life. This is a very serious, national issue.....
The Grand Isle Port Commission considers the hypoxia issue to be of major importance to Grand Isle, the State of Louisiana, and the entire country. We have committed our resources to addressing this growing threat to our marine resources.
Special Thanks to Steve Fourrier, Kirk Cheramie, Dave Bourgeois,, Dr. Nancy Rabalais, Doug Daigle, and Dr. Quenton Fontenot
This page will be updated continuously for the next few weeks. Check back often.
If you wish to help or have specific questions regarding the G.I. Port Commission's involvement with this issue, contact Wayne Keller waynek@grandisleport.com
Agriculture related information: Iowa Newspaper http://deltafarmpress.com/news/060505-Bill-EWG/
Lower Mississippi Sub Basin- Doug Daigle http://www.epa.gov/gmpo/lmrsbc/index.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_zone_(ecology)
http://www.ncat.org/nutrients/hypoxia/hypoxia.html
http://www.classzone.com/books/earth_science/terc/content/investigations/es2206/es2206page01.cfm
http://www.smm.org/deadzone/
http://www.tulane.edu/~bfleury/envirobio/enviroweb/DeadZone.htm
news article about the grand isle conference
http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/9682272.html?showAll=y&c=y
LSU Coastal Science Institute Buoy off Grand Isle CSI 9 REAL Time Conditions including oxygen levels click on CSI 9 (Grand Isle)
DEAD ZONE ACTION ITEMS from the Grand Isle -Friday September 7, 2007 1st Dead Zone Conference Grand Isle, Louisiana
1. Everyone present at the conference will send an email to all elected officials
on the list attached to the agenda, stating our request that the Mississippi
River Basin Action Plan on the dead zone be implemented immediately, including
funding for the sub basin committees.
2. Everyone at the conference should join the Mississippi River Sub Basin subcommittee
chaired by Doug Daigle.
3. Everyone at the conference will get at least ten others to do the same thing
as outlined in items 1 & 2.
4. All messages sent must be unified in theme.
5. Link organizations at the conference with similar organizations up the Mississippi
River Basin.
6. Support 100% funding of the Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program
by EPA.
7. Go to the PACE website and write letters requesting support from local parish
leaders.
8. Get back together as a follow-up conference before next summer.