02/14 - Energy’s Environmental Footprint |
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A current lawsuit contends that the actions of 97 oil companies have damaged Louisiana’s wetlands and threatened flood protection for coastal residents. The oil and gas industry says its practices were legal at the time and that a surge in environmental lawsuits is driving investors away from Louisiana.
Severance taxes, royalties and bonuses from the energy sector account for nearly 17 percent of the state’s revenue stream. The Tuscaloosa Marine Shale formation, which spans parishes from Avoyelles to Tangipahoa, is poised to be Louisiana’s next natural gas profit center. But at what cost to the state are energy’s economic dividends? From production canals bisecting the wetlands, to over five million barrels of leaked oil along the coast and an expanding sinkhole at Bayou Corne, the energy industry leaves its mark on Louisiana’s landscape.
So, how much responsibility does the energy sector bear for Louisiana’s environmental challenges? How far back should you point the finger? And are current lawsuits legitimate attempts at compensation or part of a litigious environment that threatens to kill the state’s oil and gas “golden goose?” Louisiana Public Square looks for answers on “Energy’s Environmental Footprint” airing Wednesday, February 26 at 7 p.m.
Severance taxes, royalties and bonuses from the energy sector account for nearly 17 percent of the state’s revenue stream. The Tuscaloosa Marine Shale formation, which spans parishes from Avoyelles to Tangipahoa, is poised to be Louisiana’s next natural gas profit center. But at what cost to the state are energy’s economic dividends? From production canals bisecting the wetlands, to over five million barrels of leaked oil along the coast and an expanding sinkhole at Bayou Corne, the energy industry leaves its mark on Louisiana’s landscape.
So, how much responsibility does the energy sector bear for Louisiana’s environmental challenges? How far back should you point the finger? And are current lawsuits legitimate attempts at compensation or part of a litigious environment that threatens to kill the state’s oil and gas “golden goose?” Louisiana Public Square looks for answers on “Energy’s Environmental Footprint” airing Wednesday, February 26 at 7 p.m.