ICYMI: Cassidy Advocates for Southwest Louisiana Energy Workers Against EPA

Press Release

Today, Congressman Bill Cassidy joined Senator David Vitter and Congressman Charles Boustany at a Senate Environmental and Public Works (EPW) committee field briefing in Lake Charles. The hearing focused on the potential impacts of proposed EPA ozone regulations on jobs and businesses in the Lake Charles region.

Currently, the Lake Charles region is benefitting from America's natural gas and energy boom, with the Greater Baton Rouge Regional Industrial Managers Association saying there are $46.6 billion in announced industrial expansions in the region. The Lake Area Industrial Alliance projects there will be thousands of new direct, indirect and construction jobs created by this boom. However, this is threatened by the EPA's proposal to lower the ozone standard to 60 parts per billion, which would undermine job growth and have negligible benefit for the environment.

The field briefing featured a panel discussion on this topic with Mr. Larry DeRoussel, Executive Director of the Lake Area Industry Alliance, Mr. Grant Bush, Imperial Calcasieu Regional Planning and Development Commission and Mr. Michael Walls, Vice President of Regulatory and Technical Affairs for the American Chemistry Council.

Dr. Cassidy offered the following statement on the field briefing:

"I have frequently said that the EPA's proposed regulations have the potential to harm Louisiana's economy, which is to say regulations will destroy jobs. Our first priority should be creating and preserving new jobs.

"It's why I introduced the Energy Consumers Relief Act, which would serve as a Congressional check on the current out-of-control executive authority over at the EPA. This bill passed the House with bipartisan support, and it has been introduced in the Senate. The Senate should join us in supporting new manufacturing and job creation, and not allow the EPA, unchecked, to take actions that have the potential to squander that opportunity."

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