The suit against U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar was first filed by Hornbeck Offshore Services of Covington earlier this month; Bollinger Shipyards Inc. and several offshore services companies controlled by the family of Gary Chouest quickly joined the challenge. The companies claim the government's suspension of drilling at more than 30 exploration wells without any proof that they pose a threat could cost Louisiana thousands of jobs and millions of dollars in lost wages.
Gov. Bobby Jindal also joined the challenge today, filing a friend of the court brief supporting removal of the moratorium. The brief argues that states are entitled to participate in the policy and decision-making process by the federal government on issues relating to the exploration and development of Outer Continental Shelf minerals. The brief states, “Inasmuch as the State of Louisiana was completely ignored by defendants in the establishment of this moratorium for alleged safety reasons, the question arises whether that failure renders Defendants’ action invalid.”
The brief also argues that the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act ensures revenues from the Outer Continental Shelf are to be shared with states for specific purposes including mitigating damages to fish, wildlife or natural resources and conservation projects. According the brief, the moratorium does not address the obligations of the federal government to the states via GOMESA. The brief argues that the impact of the moratorium runs counter to the federal government’s obligations and will negatively impact Louisiana’s economy.
View the brief here.
The suit is moving forward today despite the federal government's attempt to delay it until late July. The Times-Picayune reports:
In a handwritten note, U.S. District Court Judge Martin Feldman on Monday [June 14] crossed through the proposed order from the U.S. government and wrote, "Denied. The issues presented are of national significance and to delay resolution would be irresponsible."
The plaintiffs call the Obama administration’s directive to suspend drilling at depths of more than 500 feet “arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion.” They claim the Interior Department recommended the six-month moratorium to President Barack Obama without any legal justification. Indeed, it was later revealed that the panel of experts Salazar turned to for advice did not support the moratorium; those experts also claim Salazar misrepresented their position.
Hornbeck operates a fleet of vessels that haul people and supplies to offshore drilling rigs and production platforms. It serves almost all of the rigs affected by the moratorium.
This story will be updated as information becomes available. For more on the potential impact of the moratorium on the state, click here.
MAY 23 Here's a story in the Picayune about some statistics that must come as a blow to folks who believe that any private school can do a better job of educating kids than any public school: Danielle Dreilinger reports that only 30 percent of the voucher kids are passing. That's less than half of the state wide average, she says. It's an interesting statistic because most of the schools (if not all) taking voucher kids have never had their students' standardized test scores released to the public before.
MAY 23 Stephen Sabludowsky blogs on Bayou Buzz about auditor requests here. Recently the state GOP started crowing about a request from the Legislative Auditor, claiming they were being targeted because of their anti-tax stance. (Uh, your what?) Denial and hyperbole aside, the state Democratic party blew holes in that theory with an email announcing they'd received the same request, Sabludowsky writes here.
MAY 23 Jim Brown blogs about the senate race in this post. He says that, given Bobby Jindal's "lack of traction" on the national stage, it might make more sense for the governor to consider running against Mary Landrieu for the senate seat. Since Tim Teeple left the Cassidy team, it makes sense he might land on a Jindal for Senate team, Brown opines.
MAY 23 In this Louisiana Voice post, blogger Tom Aswell writes of rumors that his nemesis, state Superintendent of Education John White, may be soon departing Louisiana for a federal post. It's hard to believe, given his performance, Aswell says, but stranger things have happened. An anti-White BESE member says that, if true, White is quitting before he can be fired.
MAY 23 In this post on American Zombie, blogger Jason Berry writes about the Mother's Day shooting. Mayor Landrieu said that "this is not who we are," but the fact is, this is New Orleans, Berry writes. The violence infused in the city is the result of a culture created by "sins of omission or sins of commission," Berry writes. It's not a problem that can be solved by legislating, policing, praying or publicizing, he says: Someone's got to understand what's happening first.
MAY 23 This post in the Westside Journal tells us what Port Allen Mayor Deedy has been up to lately: vetoing ordinances, apparently. This story is most interesting, however, when it delves into a petition that has been circulating around the city lately. It accuses the former mayor of a lot of nasty things; the former mayor says it is full of lies and "broken syntax" which may be a larger offense in his eyes.
MAY 23 This editorial posted in The Advocate is a bit confusing. The writing is poor - definitely not up to the usual editorial writing standard there - and the point is hard to grasp. Apparently, the writer is saying that privatization of state efforts is OK, as long as there is oversight and transparency, but Jindal's not good at that, and the legislature shouldn't over-react. Okey Dokey. Can't they get one of them Pulitzer-winning people to write an editorial?
MAY 23 This post on The Lens gives you links to a new Google Earth tool that allows you to see any spot on earth transform over the past 30 years. Bob Marshall, who covers the coast for the paper, says that in the case of Louisiana's coastline, it's possibly something you don't want to see, because it's not a pretty picture. There are several clips here, showing critical areas erode away. For Marshall, it was vindication for all those times he was met with eye-rolling when he talked about erosion.
Most Read
in case you missed it
Subscribe to this comment's feed