More than 70 percent of Louisiana residents oppose diverting funds from coastal erosion lawsuits filed against energy companies for purposes unrelated to marshland restoration, according to a new survey.
Hyer
A bill has been introduced in the House Natural Resources Committee that would declare Louisiana a “fossil fuel sanctuary state” to preempt federal environmental rules and regulations that could hurt the state’s oil and gas industry.
Rep. Danny McCormick (R-Oil City) authored HB 617 to protect Louisiana’s energy industry from federal executive orders, laws or agency regulations that could cause economic harm to oil and gas producers around the state, according to the text of the bill.
Under the provisions of HB 619, any federal action that curtails operations of the energy sector would be seen as an infringement on Louisiana’s sovereignty under the state and federal constitutions. Specifically, the bill would classify any federal tax, levy or fee as such an infringement and also target the cancellation of oil lease sales and legal avenues to prevent the acquisition or use of oil and gas products.