Louisiana is leaning on NDAs to land projects, raising transparency issues

Louisiana’s push to land major economic development deals is increasingly happening behind closed doors, as elected officials sign nondisclosure agreements that limit what they can share with the public, WWNO reports.

The practice came into focus after Amazon’s $12 billion data center investment in northwest Louisiana was revealed—following weeks of silence from officials bound by NDAs.

Records show at least 50 officials across parishes have signed agreements under the Landry administration, a sharp shift from prior years. State leaders argue NDAs are essential to stay competitive and secure projects, allowing earlier, broader participation in negotiations without risking leaks. Companies, including Meta, often require additional, project-specific agreements.

Critics, however, say the approach undermines transparency, shutting communities out of decisions that carry significant environmental, financial and infrastructure impacts. While some officials defend the balance between confidentiality and competition, others question whether widespread NDA use is appropriate when public resources and trust are at stake.

WWNO has the full story.