"Louisiana has been an oil and gas state since the first oil well was drilled in Jennings in 1901. And according to the International Energy Agency, fossil fuels will continue to provide 40% of the world’s energy supply in 2050, which is great news for Louisiana and the thousands of citizens who work in this industry. But I know that securing our nation’s energy independence includes both protecting Louisiana’s critical oil and gas industry and positioning Louisiana as a leader in the next generation of renewable energy production. No candidate is more qualified to lead this effort than I am." -- Sharon Hewitt
I will fight to end Joe Biden's war on oil and gas, so Louisiana stays a leader in energy production for generations to come. Literally, everything requires energy, from transportation and manufacturing to fertilizers, medicines, and clothing. In Louisiana, our greatest source of energy, both onshore and offshore, is oil and gas. The President needs to honor his commitment to reinstating lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico and securing our nation’s energy independence. Every state must do its part to utilize its own natural resources to provide energy for its citizens and our nation. You can count on me to do just that.
One of the most flagrant examples of frivolous lawsuits are those filed against 200 oil and gas companies with unsubstantiated claims of violations of coastal zone permits fifty years ago. As a result, most of these companies have packed their bags and left Louisiana, taking their oil and gas investments to other states. This “sue first, get the facts later” mentality has nearly killed the industry in our state. As Governor, I will pause these coastal lawsuits on my first day in office, instruct my new Secretary of the Department of Natural Resources to do his job and research the facts, allowing the state to identify specific violators and take appropriate actions already provided for in state law. This litigation supported by Governor Edwards and Attorney General Landry is a lose/lose for the state and the industry and a winner for a select group of trial lawyers. I will stop it.
As Governor, I will support Louisiana’s traditional oil and gas industry, while diversifying our energy portfolio with wind, solar, hydrogen, and biofuels. Our universities will serve as centers of excellence for the research needed to develop these opportunities, in partnership with industry, to make Louisiana the number one option for energy development.
As we diversify our energy portfolio and work to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions in a common-sense approach, I will ensure that our citizens and businesses always have a reliable and affordable energy grid. While an all-of-the-above energy policy is smart, we cannot pick winners and losers by propping up some energy alternatives with unfair tax-breaks and incentives and we cannot put our citizens at risk of rolling blackouts with energy alternatives that are unreliable. Our energy portfolio must be balanced and smart.
Louisiana is an outlier in collecting a 12.5% severance tax from oil and gas producers. I will reduce this tax to make Louisiana competitive with other states and encourage oil and gas producers to continue to work in Louisiana.
Sharon has testified before Congress on the importance of oil and gas production in Louisiana in providing not just energy security, but also revenue for Louisiana’s coastal restoration and protection programs. As a legislator, Sharon secured funding for our universities to develop new technologies in support of hydrogen and biofuels and pushed for reduced bureaucratic permitting delays.
As a State Senator, Sharon Hewitt has:
