# Gulf of Mexico Program Policy Review Board Meeting
**AGENCY:**
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
**ACTION:**
Notice of meeting.
**SUMMARY:**
Under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463), EPA gives notice of a meeting of the Gulf of Mexico Program (GMP) Policy Review Board (PRB).
**DATES:**
The meeting will be held on Thursday, December 12, 2002, from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
**ADDRESSES:**
The meeting will be held at the Embassy Suites Hotel, 315 Julia Street, New Orleans, LA 70130 (504-525-1993).
**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:**
Gloria D. Car, Designated Federal Officer, Gulf of Mexico Program Office, Mail Code EPA/GMPO, Stennis Space Center, MS 39529-6000 at (228) 688-2421.
**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:**
Proposed agenda is attached.
The meeting is open to the public.
Dated: November 18, 2002.
Gloria D. Car,
Designated Federal Officer.
**Gulf of Mexico Program**
**Policy Review Board Meeting**
Embassy Suites Hotel, Bayou Jean Lafitte Rooms, 6th Floor, New Orleans, Louisiana, Thursday, December 12, 2002.
**Agenda**
7:30—Continental Breakfast (in meeting room).
8:30—Welcome and Introductions, Jimmy Palmer, EPA Regional Administrator, Region 4, Atlanta Hall Bohlinger, Acting Secretary, LA Department of Env. Quality.
8:40—Overview of Meeting Agenda & Objectives, Status Review of Follow-up Action Items, Bryon Griffith, Gulf of Mexico Program Office.
9:00—Harmful Algal Blooms Observing System Pilot Project Status, Dr. Bill Benson, Director, EPA ORD's Gulf Ecology Division Laboratory.
Purpose: To receive an update on the progress of the Hazardous Algal Blooms Observing System (HABSOS) pilot.
9:45—Bacterial Source Tracking Research, Dr. R.D. Ellender, Assistant Dean for Research & Development, College of Science & Technology, University of Southern Mississippi.
Purpose: To receive an overview of the current state of the research in this topic area and to solicit broad Gulf State involvement in a collaborative EPA Region 4 and University of Southern Mississippi initiative to provide Gulf State coordination and support for applied Bacterial Source Tracking research.
10:30—Break.
10:45—GMP Mercury Project Update—re: Gulf State Marine Fish Advisory Consistency Dr. Fred Kopfler, Gulf of Mexico Program Office.
Purpose: To receive an update on the status of the GMP initiative to achieve consistent marine fish advisories re: Mercury in Gulf Seafood.
11:15—President's Interagency Work Group on Mercury Presentation, Gene Whitney, Policy Analyst, Office of Science & Technology Policy, Executive Office of the President.
Purpose: To receive an Executive Briefing on the development and status of President's Interagency Workgroup on Mercury and their future plans relative to the Gulf of Mexico region.
12:00—Catered Lunch—2002 Gulf Guardian Awards Video Presentation.
12:45—Presidential Executive Order Recommendations—Final Review, Bryon Griffith, Gulf of Mexico Program Office.
Purpose: (1) To conduct the final review of the Management Committee's recommendations regarding the proposed Presidential Executive Order establishing the Gulf of Mexico Program; (2) To discuss and finalize a supporting implementation strategy and schedule for submitting the Executive proposal to the EPA Administrator.
1:30—GMP's Assistance Role in the Advancing Development and Deployment of NASA's Space-based Earth Sciences Support, Dr. David Powe, Director, Earth Science Applications Directorate, NASA, Stennis Space Center, Mississippi.
Purpose: To explore stronger partnership opportunities through NASA's Space-based Earth Science Applications Development Program.
2:00—Hypoxia Action Plan Status: Lower Mississippi River Sub-basin Team Development Report (Agricultural Sector)—Lower Mississippi Valley Initiative's (LMVI) Watershed Approach, Invited speaker.
Purpose: To receive an update on the status of the Lower Mississippi River Sub-basin Team's development re: Agriculture's organization ( *e.g.* , LMVI) and process ( *i.e.* , Watershed Approach) approach to addressing many of the sub-basin's industry led solutions.
2:30—Wrap-up and next steps, Jimmy Palmer and Hall Bohlinger.
2:35—Adjourn .