Representative Mark Falzone announced the formation of the Caucus of Coastal State Legislators to address the economic, resource, and environmental issues especially pertinent to United States coastal states. The specific agenda of setting goals will be a first priority as this new caucus gets off the ground.

Representative Falzone emphasized, “This important new national initiative will add to our state’s new Coastal Zone Management Legislation to help strengthen the voices of the communities in our district, and form valuable connections between Massachusetts and other US coastal states. Especially in these trying economic times, it is crucial that states act together in the direction of environmental and economic progress that will provide employment opportunities to those in our region. The cooperative nature of this caucus promises to effect positive change here on Beacon Hill and in Washington.”

The caucus, of which Representative Falzone is a founding member, plans to work closely with the Obama administration to accomplish the common goals of economic stability, resource development, and environmental protection. President Obama’s Ocean Policy Task Force helped to initiate the formation of this coastal caucus, which will serve as a point of contact for both regional and federal agencies, as well as the US Congress.

“As we face the challenges of global climate change, a long road to economic recovery and increasingly competitive resource development scenarios, it’s critical for coastal states to cooperate and develop long-range strategies,” said Washington State Senator Kevin Ranker. “We’ve already heard a lot of good ideas from caucus members, and I’m anxious to work with my coastal state colleagues.”

This bi-partisan group has initial representation from state legislators in 29 coastal and Great Lakes states. It plans to work closely with the job creating agenda of the already established Massachusetts Legislative Coastal Caucus to which Representative Falzone also belongs.