Letter to the Editor from Sen. Bob Hensgens
Dear Editor,
I am proud of the people in my district. The residents of Vermilion, Acadia, Lafayette, and St. Landry parishes are hard workers, but without industry, our entire region is in jeopardy. Constituents they tell me they’re expecting project cancellations, rigs to idle, and layoffs, layoffs, layoffs. This is happening because the new President has made it his goal to kill industry...while saying he’s doing it for the environment.
I invite the President to come to Louisiana, where our bayous are some of the most magical, mysterious and beautiful environments a person can visit. Environments that are strengthened thanks to the investment of the very industry he’s trying to kill. No one gives more to coastal restoration than the oil and gas industry, and Louisiana’s oil and gas industry is still recovering from 2020. This could be the fatal blow.
The Governor asked the White House for $3 billion in hurricane recovery money, which is wonderful and badly needed, and I thank him for doing that. But that grant is one-time money. We need to think long term. We need an economy that puts food on the table for the everyday people of Louisiana.
The oil and gas industry has long been a great place to work. You don’t need a college degree to work in the oilfield, and you can still make one of the top-five highest wages in the state. Our state's bottom line depends on the oil industry. Oil and gas was responsible for almost a third of our state’s GDP in 2019.
A leasing ban like this one - especially considering it could be indefinite - would kill thousands of jobs forever and suck our communities dry of the revenues they need for their roads, schools, infrastructure and more. This is a cruel blow to the entire state of Louisiana.
Giving Louisiana $3 billion for hurricane recovery and then taking away our state’s bedrock industry is like feeding the golden goose and then cooking it for dinner.
Now is the time for the leader of our state to join us and speak up for citizens of Louisiana. Make our voices heard, before it's too late.
Senator Bob Hensgens
Chairman Natural Resources
District 26: Acadia, Lafayette, St. Landry, and Vermilion Parishes