Bob Marshall also disagrees with Rep Scalise on who is at war with oil. The Representative says Mr. Biden has done so; Mr. Marshall says the world has and that oil is also at fault.
Which of these two recent headlines is true and critical to the future of Louisiana’s coastal communities? 1) Joe Biden’s war on oil is very bad news for Louisiana. 2) Global ice loss accelerating at record rate. It’s the second one. The state’s own coastal survival plan shows if the rate of ice melt pouring into the oceans isn’t slowed, most of Louisiana’s bottom third — including cities from Lake Charles to Mandeville — could be drowned by sea-level rise before the end of this century.
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Yet, if you listen to the Louisiana congressional delegation, the right answer is number 1. Yes, this is Louisiana and oil is a major factor in our economic base but there is an increasing move toward renewables.
That “war” headline is from an op-ed by U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise, of Jefferson Parish, opposing President Joe Biden’s program to reduce fossil fuel emissions driving global warming already causing more intense tropical storms, flooding, disastrous wildfires and sea-level rise. Like similar articles, it claims Biden’s order will stop offshore drilling; cause soaring unemployment in coastal parishes tied to oil and gas; destroy the state’s overall economy; and leave the U.S. dependent on foreign supplies.
Rep. Scalise gets his talking points from the oil industry trad groups, specifically the Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association. Scalise also receives over $400 thousand dollars last year and over $1.7 million since elected in 2008. This shows his allegiance and who he must speak for. Marshall then listed some facts to buttress his case. He also notes that the oil industry is shedding workers on its own.
Indeed, industry sources say oil will continue to shed workers — and production has nothing to do with it. Megan Milliken Biven, former staffer at the Bureau of Ocean Energy and Management, said even as Gulf production hit record levels during the Obama administration, employment fell. “The industry was swept by mergers and automation that reduced the workforce, and it has largely switched to contract labor,” she said. “They hire people who they don’t have to pay benefits to, and they can fire and replace as their business models dictate.”
Louisiana could be in a better place with offshore wind energy and the Biden Plan will even fund training. Mr. Scalise and his party are off base and do not accept the realities of today, instead look backward to the past. That is not the way to move forward.
