Over the past few days, leaders from the state capitol have voiced their opinions on how much oversight the federal government should have over the permitting process for new energy developments in the state of Louisiana. Yesterday, State Representative Mike Johnson (LA-27) testifired before an EPA hearing voicing his support of primacy for Louisiana. Check out his testimony and letter to the editor that he wrote on the issue.
JOHNSON:
Louisiana has so much to offer our great country, and we have been especially proud to be a leader in domestic energy production over the last century. Now, we can take control of the future of this industry and further empower our state’s scientists and well-equipped state regulators with the tools they need – all made possible by the EPA granting Louisiana primacy over Class VI underground injection wells, which enables the advancement of critical carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects.
This past session, the Louisiana House of Representatives took the important stance of supporting primacy through the passage of House Resolution 229, which affirmed our commitment to the energy sector and our ability to regulate it ourselves. Though we took this step in the final days of our session, our work as Louisianans to support primacy has not ended. The EPA will be holding a public hearing in Baton Rouge this week to hear from community members about the importance of moving forward with granting primacy, and the comment period remains open.
There is no better body to control Louisiana’s energy than Louisiana itself. Our state is uniquely qualified to take on this responsibility, with workforce comprised of the top minds in the industry, both in oversight and operations, and a robust team of scientists at the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources. My colleagues and I understand the importance of primacy because we have seen these leaders in action here in Baton Rouge and across our beautiful state.
It is time to give our state the chance to move our energy economy into the future by taking control of our energy resources. Class VI well primacy will help further establish Louisiana as a cornerstone of American energy security. I encourage the EPA to do the right thing, accept the will of the people of Louisiana, and support primacy.
Sincerely,
State Representative Mike Johnson