Let's FIX OUR COAST Louisiana
Before it's too late.
Let's FIX OUR COAST Louisiana
Before it's too late.
We all Know Our Coast is in Crisis. It's time to Fix it!
No More Time to Avoid the Truth
Louisiana has already lost over 2,000 square miles, an area roughly the size of the state of Delaware! Much of that damage is due to industry activities, including the many thousands of miles of canals carved through Louisiana's wetlands to develop oil and gas. For us to save our coast everyone must take responsibility.
Fix What You Broke!
The oil and gas industry, one of the most powerful and profitable sectors of the world economy, continues to fight fervently against being held responsible for the significant damage it has caused to Louisiana’s coast and wetlands. We only ask that they fix what they broke. It’s not asking too much and it's the LAW.
Why should you pay for damage done by private for-profit companies? You shouldn't!
Your tax dollars are already being used to fix damage caused by private oil and gas companies. BILLIONS of dollars are needed to fund the Louisiana coastal restoration Master Plan. Huge portions of that money will be used to fix damage caused by private oil and gas companies. That's just not fair!
At least 34 scientific studies, including studies done by the oil and gas industry itself and dating back as far as 1971, conclude that oil and gas activities contributed to Louisiana’s coastal land loss. In 1985 a study commissioned by Louisiana Mid-Continental Oil and Gas Association concluded that oil and gas activities contributed to coastal land loss. The other studies were conducted by the likes of US Army Corps of Engineers, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Louisiana Geological Survey, LSU Center for Wetland Resources, Louisiana Coastal Restoration and Protection Authority, and a number of other federal agencies and private engineering firms. Many of the studies concluded that the majority of the land loss in some areas, as much as 80%, is due to oil and gas activities.
A study commissioned by the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources in 2006 concluded, “[t]he dominant mechanism for land loss in the identified restoration areas was altered hydrology associated with oil and gas exploration and drilling (64 percent). The second largest process contributing to land loss was the direct removal of wetlands during the dredging of exploratory canals and wellhead access canals (12 percent).” There are a number of other studies done by the State of Louisiana that make similar conclusions.
Shell Oil Company’s chief offshore engineer said, “[t]here is clear evidence that past and current oil and gas activities have made and continue to make substantial contributions to degradations in the natural defenses against hurricane surges and waves in coastal Louisiana,” and that oil and gas “works and activities have contributed significantly to the loss of natural defenses such as barrier beaches, wetlands, and marshes.”
Federal and state laws dating back as far as the 1920s prohibit oil and gas activities from damaging the land. Furthermore, in 1980 Louisiana enacted laws which clearly state that the land must be cleaned up and returned to it’s previous condition after oil and gas activities are completed. On top of that, the oil and gas drilling permits issued by the State of Louisiana also require the permit holder to return the affected area to its previous condition. Much of the damage done by oil and gas exploration and production is in clear violation of the law and the oil and gas industry knew it.
Tell You Legislator to Hold Companies Accountable For The Damage They Caused!
Not only is the Louisiana State Government not holding the industry responsible, Louisiana Legislators are actively helping the industry evade responsibility, right now! Email or Call your Legislators today to let them know anyone who damages our coast must fix it!