Secretary Mabus travels to Gulf Coast

Starting today Monday, August 2, through Saturday, August 7, 2010, U.S. Secretary of the Navy Raymond Edwin "Ray" Mabus, Jr., will be holding a series of town hall meetings in Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas.

The meetings will be open to the public and media and will provide residents with an opportunity to discuss long-term economic and environmental restoration ideas with the Secretary.

Mabus served as the 60th Governor of the State of Mississippi from 1988 to 1992 and as U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia from 1994 to 1996.

President Obama picked Secretary Mabus and charged him with developing a long-term Gulf Coast Restoration Plan as soon as possible. States, local communities, tribes, anglers, businesses, conservationists and other Gulf residents will all help put the plan together.

The plan will consider economic development, community planning, restoration of the ecosystem and environment, public health efforts and assistance to individuals and businesses impacted by the spill in the Gulf.

This will mark the Secretary’s fourth trip the Gulf Coast to listen to stakeholders and assess the impacts the oil spill is having on the region. On previous trips he has visited with residents, business owners, and local, state, and federal officials in Baton Rouge, LA; New Orleans, LA; Biloxi-Gulfport, MS; Jackson, MS; Mobile, AL; Pensacola, FL; Bayou La Batre, AL; Orange Beach, AL; and Gulf Shores, AL.

The schedule and related information is as follows:

Monday, August 2 – Alabama:
12:00 (noon local), there will be a meeting in Theodore at the Nan Gray Davis Elementary School, 6900 Nan Gray Davis Rd, Theodore, AL 36582
6:00 PM (local), there will be a meeting in Robertsdale at the Robertsdale Elementary School, 19150 Wilters St Robertsdale, AL 36567

Tuesday, August 3 – Florida:
12:00 (noon local) in Panama City at the Amelia Center Theatre, Amelia G. Tapper Center for the Arts, Gulf Coast Community College, 5230 West U.S. Hwy. 98, Panama City, FL 32401
6:00 PM (local) in St. Petersburg at the Karen Steininger Auditorium at the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, University of South Florida, 100 Eighth Ave S., St. Petersburg, FL 33701

Thursday, August 5 - Louisiana:
12:00 (noon local) in Terrebonne Parish at the Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center 346 Civic Center Blvd, Houma, LA 70360
6:00 PM (local) in Plaquemines Parish at the Buras Auditorium, 35619 Highway 11, Buras, LA, 70041

Friday, August 6 – Texas:
12:00 (noon local) in Galveston

Saturday, August 7 – Mississippi:
10:00 AM (local) in Bay St. Louis
2:00 PM (local) in Ocean Springs