U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) renewed his vow on Monday to protect funds designated for Louisiana’s coastal restoration, particularly millions of dollars in new oil and gas development revenue-sharing funds, that the state could tap to counter the effects of a harsh hurricane season.
In a letter to the editor appearing on Monday in the New Orleans Times-Picayune, Scalise, who serves as House Majority Whip, noted the importance of protecting the shoreline of Louisiana. On average, land area the size of a football field disappears every hour on average from the state’s coastline, and more than 2,000 square miles have been lost since the 1930s, he said.
Louisiana is preparing to receive $140 million per year in cost-sharing agreements for oil and gas development in the Gulf.
“For decades, we have watched as interior states have reaped the benefits of natural resource production onshore, while revenue generated from production off Louisiana’s coast is shipped away to Washington,” Scalise said. “That changes this year, and the money we receive will go directly to funding important coastal restoration projects. Almost a quarter of the nation’s oil and gas is produced off our coast, and it’s long overdue that Louisiana is treated fairly by sharing in those royalties paid by oil and gas companies.”
However, Scalise noted, there have been attempts in recent years to take that type of revenue away from energy-producing states.
“But make no mistake: like in previous years, I will not allow this critical coastal restoration money to be raided,” Scalise said. “It is too important to Louisiana’s future and is vital to our coastal restoration efforts. This isn’t a partisan issue, and we enjoy strong bipartisan support in protecting these funds for Louisiana and other Gulf states.”
Scalise also recounted during an interview in May that he had told the Office of Management and Budget that he was “not going to let a dime” of the state’s Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA) money to be taken.
“We produce a lot of energy for the country, so we ought to get our fair share like everybody else does of that money,” Scalise said. “It’s going to mean hundreds of millions of dollars a year, and it’s dedicated in Louisiana to coastal restoration. That money will be protected in the House, I surely will not let them take that money, and the president knows that.”