[StBernard] Congressional energy bills could have impact on Louisiana

[Westley Annis]

Congressional energy bills could have impact on Louisiana

Jeremy Alford
Capitol Correspondent


Published: Sunday, October 18, 2009 at 6:01 a.m. 


BATON ROUGE - Two energy bills - one awaiting presidential approval and the
other struggling through hearings - could both have long-lasting effects on
Louisiana, for very different reasons.

One bill, known as the Energy and Water Act, would direct millions of
dollars to the Terrebonne-Lafourche region for hurricane protection, coastal
restoration and flood control. 

It is now awaiting approval from President Barack Obama. 

Senate hearings on a House-passed bill known as the American Clean Energy
and Security Act, or more informally as cap and trade, are expected to begin
next week. 

Opponents contend the proposal would move the nation closer to clean energy
sources, as opposed to the fossil fuels that have helped bolster Louisiana.

The Energy and Water Act, or H.R. 3183, is a piece of legislation that
contains hundreds of millions of dollars for the Louisiana branch of the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 

Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-New Orleans, said the legislation doesn't include all
of Louisiana's needs, but it is a good start. 

"I can assure all Louisianians that I will continue to fight alongside the
other members of the Louisiana Delegation and seek all available means to
advance this project," she said./ 

Working with Sen. David Vitter, R-Metairie, Landrieu secured nearly $18
million for the Louisiana Coastal Area program, which benefits coastal
parishes.

For coastal Louisiana there's $5.3 million set aside for flood control,
navigation and ecosystem maintenance in the Atchafalaya Basin.

There's also $5.8 million dedicated to the continued construction of the
Larose-to-Golden Meadow flood-control structure.

This hurricane protection project will reduce flooding and the possibility
of future damage for approximately 23,000 residents in the local region. 

It is likewise expected to protect economic activities, such as oil and gas
production, commercial fisheries and other related industries.

The "cap-and-trade bill," a volatile measure also known as the Waxman-Markey
Climate Bill or more formally as H.R. 2454, now has a companion measure in
the Senate that's awaiting action.

The White House argues that the legislation would create millions of green
jobs and move the nation toward developing more fuel-efficient vehicles. It
would also, according to supporters, result in use of renewable sources like
wind, solar, ethanol, hydroelectricity, nuclear and others. 

That would also mean moving the nation away from Louisiana staples such as
oil and gas, as well as other fossil fuels like coal. 

U.S. Rep. Charlie Melancon, D-Napoleonville, who represents Terrebonne and
Lafourche parishes, said he opposes the proposal and voted against it
because it "would hurt my district and the people I represent" and could
even damage the oil and gas industry. 

Melancon, however, was successful in including an amendment to the House
bill that would protect Louisiana's share of wetlands restoration funding
from cuts.

"Rising sea levels and more frequent hurricanes are serious threats to south
Louisiana, threats caused by climate change," Melancon said. "We must work
together as a nation to reduce the pollution causing this climate change,
but not on the back of our energy industry in Louisiana."

Here's how the core concept of the bill would work: the American Clean
Energy and Security Act would create a market-based cap-and-trade system
under which industries and utilities would buy carbon "allowances" from the
federal government. 

Businesses and utilities that reduce their carbon output below the cap would
then be able to sell their extra allowances to businesses that exceed the
cap. 

The federal government would also distribute to each state a share of the
proceeds from the sale of the allowances for the states to use for wildlife
and natural resource protection and also for domestic adaptation purposes,
like wetlands restoration, to reverse the effects of climate change.

The upcoming hearings in the Senate are expected to be crucial, if not
downright challenging for supporters.