(The Center Square) — Louisiana voters approved an amendment to the state’s constitution that would allow the state to receive royalties from renewable offshore power generation like it does from the oil and gas industry.
Amendment 1, the only amendment on the Nov. 5 ballot, would dedicate offshore alternative energy money to coastal protection, but that would require action from Congress to become a reality.
Passage of the amendment would allow the state, once a federal bill is signed into law, to transfer these revenues into the Coastal Protection and Restoration Fund.
A vote against would’ve meant these royalties, pending federal action, would go into the state’s General Fund, where those funds could’ve been spent on any legislative priority.
The amendment passed with over a 70% vote in favor.
As expected, the southern parishes were in favor of the amendment the most, with none voting less than 70% and several over 80% including Lafourche Parish with 82%.
It’s of dire importance to Louisiana as the funds from the BP oil spill settlement, which is the primary source for coastal restoration projects, will run out in 2031. The projects are designed to repair and rebuild the state’s wetlands which shield inland areas from hurricane storm surges and provide important nurseries for marine life.
U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., filed a bill last year called the Reinvesting in Shoreline Economies & Ecosystems Act with U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I. Congressman Steve Scalise, R-La., has a bill called the Budgeting for Renewable Electrical Energy Zone Earnings that he has filed twice in the last two years.
District 2 of the Public Service Commission also decided on a new commissioner. Sen. Jean-Paul Coussan, R-Lafayette, won the vote handily with 225,468 cast or 54% of the total according to preliminary results from the Louisiana secretary of state’s office. Democrat Nick Laborde finished with 110,139 votes in second with 26% and Republican Julie Quinn received 20% of the vote for third.
