Recently, the National Association of Counties (NACo) held its annual business meeting, where Louisiana parishes and Texas counties joined forces to adopt two resolutions aimed at securing more funding from GOMESA and resuming offshore lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico.
Lafourche Parish President Archie Chaisson, III sponsored a resolution aimed at increasing the Gulf State’s share of GOMESA revenue from 37.5% to 50% and removing the existing cap of $375 million. “These dollars are important as we work to strengthen our coast and provide the flood protection we need for our communities,” said President Archie Chaisson.
The second resolution sponsored by the three officials urged President Biden to resume the lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico. Several months ago, President Biden paused lease sales as he unveiled his new climate action plan. “Continued leasing in the Gulf is key to a low carbon future. No one does it better than we do in the Gulf; and that’s proven by lower emissions, lower carbon intensity. In fact, according to recent research, the United States Gulf of Mexico production has approximately half (53%) of the carbon intensity per barrel of other producing regions,” said Chaisson.
Lease sales are critical in providing revenue not only to local counties but to the Gulf States to help fund infrastructure, coastal restoration projects, as well as quality of life projects. Gulf production also funds conservation projects across the country through programs like the Land and Water Conservation Fund and the Great American Outdoors Act.
“This resolution, at the end of the day, is requesting the President to simply do his job and follow the law, as directed by Federal Judge Terry A. Doughty on June 15, 2021, by immediately recommencing Federal Offshore Leasing. Moreover, it is about putting our constituents back to work and making our country energy independent again,” said President Archie Chaisson. “For the White House to recently ask Oil Producing Exporting Countries (OPEC), often with lower environmental standards, to increase production in favor of asking domestic producers to do the same hurts our economy, our job creation, our energy consumers, our national security, our environment and our pride! Given the average price of gasoline has increased 40% just this year from $2.25/gallon on January 1, 2021, to $3.70/gallon as of mid-July, it’s past time to recommence offshore lease sales. I am proud of the support we received by the National Association of Counties (NACo) for their support of environmentally sensitive, domestic energy production. Let’s roll America!”
