Newswise — Ocean Springs, MS – The Gulf of Mexico Alliance is pleased to announce a new partnership with Hess Corporation (NYSE: HES), which aims to invest in projects that support a healthy and productive Gulf of Mexico. Hess is a leading independent oil and gas producer in the Gulf of Mexico and is the newest supporter of the Alliance’s Gulf Star Program.

The Gulf Star Program is designed to leverage public and private funding to increase the region’s resilience by addressing foundational issues that are important to the community, government and business.  Those issues include healthy seafood supplies, improved habitat conservation, higher quality water resources, increased natural resource stewardship, and improved strategies for land use planning. 

Executive Director of the Gulf of Mexico Alliance, Laura Bowie said, “The Gulf of Mexico is recognized worldwide as a region with tremendous value in ecological, economic, and social terms. At the Gulf of Mexico Alliance, we are committed to preserving and enhancing this important national and global resource and we are incredibly pleased to be partnering with Hess who is not only one of the major oil and gas producers in the Gulf, but also a company that has long been recognized for being an environmental leader in its industry.”

Hess Senior Vice-President for Production, Mike Turner, “Hess’ approach to social and environmental responsibility is grounded in pursuing science based solutions, which can facilitate prosperity and safeguard the environment, all while delivering the energy that America needs. We look forward to working with the Alliance across all of its priority areas, but we are particularly excited to partner with an organization that is focusing on water resource management - something we have been integrating into the life-cycle operations across our producing assets,” he said.

The Alliance created Gulf Star in 2015 as a public-private partnership to support the Alliances’ Governors’ Action Plan III. In 2016 and 2017, the program distributed nearly $2 million towards projects across nine critical Gulf issues. Plans are underway to solicit requests for proposals in early 2019. Hess joins the Alliance’s investment in supporting locally driven, community-based activities for a healthy Gulf of Mexico. 

With their investment, Hess Corporation joins other Gulf Star partners Shell, The Nature Conservancy, Freeport-McMoran, Anadarko, BHP, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Department of the Interior, and the states of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. More information about the Gulf Star program can be found at www.gulfofmexicoalliance.org.