- Louisiana has long, successful record of assuming regulatory oversight
- Carbon capture essential to meeting environmental goals, preserving vital Louisiana industries
BATON ROUGE – Consumer Energy Alliance, the leading energy and environmental advocate for families and businesses, issued the following statement at the opening of the Environmental Protection Agency’s public hearing on Louisiana’s application for authority to regulate carbon capture permitting under the federal Clean Water Act.
“Louisiana’s long regulatory history and control over the natural gas and oil industry clearly demonstrate that the State’s agencies have the ability, resources and knowledge to assume the EPA’s authority for carbon capture,” CEA Deputy Director of Gulf Coast Affairs Shawn Waldron said. “Louisiana must have the power to guide its future in carbon capture, because vital state industries must lower their emissions so that they can keep providing good jobs to Louisianans of all stripes, as they have done for generations.”
“Without carbon capture, facilities that contribute to the affordable production of goods and materials used to make cars, fertilizer, plastics, medical supplies, paints, carpeting, facial products – you name it – could be forced to shut down in the face of increasing market and government pressure to decarbonize,” he said.
The EPA was expected to hear from Louisiana’s business leaders, elected officials and a host of supporters sharing a similar message: granting Louisiana control over carbon capture is essential for fighting climate-harming emissions as much as it is for supporting continued economic growth, business vitality and job creation.
“Louisiana’s geology is among the best in the country to securely store carbon, and the EPA has entrusted the State with this kind of authority for years,” Waldron said. “Carbon capture primacy will further empower the State of Louisiana to help all Louisiana families by safely improving the environment for everyone, including disadvantaged communities. CEA urges Louisianans to make their voices heard by the EPA in support of their state and its future.”
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About Consumer Energy Alliance
Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA) is the leading voice for sensible energy and environmental policies for consumers, bringing together families, farmers, small businesses, distributors, producers, and manufacturers to support America’s environmentally sustainable energy future. With more than 550,000 members nationwide, we are committed to leading the nation’s dialogue around energy, its critical role in the economy, and how it supports the vital supply chains for the families and businesses that depend on them. CEA works daily to encourage communities across the nation to seek sensible, realistic, and environmentally responsible solutions to meet our nation’s energy needs.
Contact:
Bryson Hull
(202) 657-2855
bhull@consumerenergyalliance.org