State and Parish officials in Louisiana have known and documented for many years that oil industry operations in Louisiana are the major cause of coastal erosion, the loss of wet-lands and destruction of the marshes. They even know that through the years the state and federal governments have picked up the lions share of the cost in repairing the damage. The loss of land puts any hurricane closer to our populated cities and result in greater property damage. Some inland parishes are no longer inland very much.
This onshore drilling is regulated by the state, not the federal government but the states record of regulating the oil industry is no better than the federal governments MMS on the drilling that comes under their control. In an article in the Times Picayune of 5/30 staff writer Jen DeGregorio reported as follows: Louisiana also has a history of accommodating the industry even when it comes to a matter as serious as coastal erosion, which devours the equivalent of a football field of the state's wetlands every 38 minutes. Any pipeline, oil well or other energy development in Louisiana's 19 parish coastal zone needs a state permit, a stamp of approval saying the work results in "no net loss" of wetlands. State regulators are supposed to weigh a project's environmental risks against its economic benefits, but the balance is tipped overwhelmingly in favor of oil and gas. It is obvious that the "no net loss" of wetlands is not being enforced.
On the other side of the coin is offshore drilling and the BP spill now in its 43rd day as of this writing. The oil spill has already damaged the marsh, the coast and the fishing community. BP and the oil industry after 43 days still has no equipment, plan or program to remove the spilled oil timely from the waters of the gulf before the oil hits land. Ditto the equipment or means to stop the leak timely. (Timely action has already left this spill behind) Any capping of the well now will be welcomed but the damage has already been done. It will be months or years before we find out the real damage to our land and way of life.
State and parish leaders like to remind us how vital the oil and gas industry is to La., but conveniently forget to remind the people what it is costing the taxpayers because of the destruction to the environment. Our state and parish leaders, the oil companies and their industry associations are now complaining about the loss of jobs if the moratorium placed on new drilling by the President takes place. Never mind about the BP accident that took 11 lives and the livelyhood of the Louisiana fishermen and the seafood distribution system in general. Never mind about the oil industry's negligence that is the real reason for those job losses if it happens. Never mind about the oil industry wanting favors to cut corners. Elected officials like to play the blame game and the industry will try to pass the buck from themselves and the cause of any future job losses. They are the cause so they need to look in the mirror and have a talk with themselves.
James Gill in his editorial of 6/2 in the Times Picayune titled: "Louisiana Was Big Oil's Best Friend" shed more light on the subject and said. The scale of the catastrophe, and the reasons for it, have been known for as long as anyone can remember. When he was governor 30 years ago, Dave Treen proposed a tax on energy companies to mitigate the harm they did to the environment. Had he succeeded Louisiana would certainly have been healthier, and would probably have been more prosperous, today. But big oil owned the Legislature.
It should be noted former Governor Treen's proposal, known as CWEL was the subject of several commentaries posted here on politidose. Perhaps that was the reason Mr. Gill understands the merit of Mr. Treen's position on the issue and mentioned his proposal. I am happy Mr. Gill must have taken the time to log onto politidose. It is time for our political leaders in La., to get the message, show courage and leadership, step up to the plate and act on CWEL.
