Businesses making multibillion-dollar investments are not just evaluating sites, they are evaluating certainty. They want to know that projects can move forward within a predictable regulatory environment and alongside communities that are informed, engaged, and confident in the process. When that certainty breaks down, projects do not wait, they move elsewhere.
Ascension Parish Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Donnie Miller is a guest columnist. The viewpoints expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Ascension Business Report or its staff.
As one of the fastest-growing parishes in Louisiana, Ascension Parish is well-positioned to compete for the next generation of industrial investment. Our region offers a strong workforce, established infrastructure, and a deep industrial base that continues to attract companies looking to innovate and grow.
These fundamentals matter, but today they are only part of the equation. Increasingly, companies are also being measured by their ability to reduce emissions and meet global market expectations. That is where carbon capture and storage (CCS) enters the conversation.
The Ascension Parish Chamber of Commerce supports the safe, transparent, and responsible development of CCS as a driver of economic opportunity. Done correctly, CCS represents significant near-term investment, quality job creation, and a pathway to long-term competitiveness for the industries that anchor our local economy.
At the same time, we recognize that this is not just an economic discussion. For many in our community, questions around safety, health, and long-term impacts are real and deserve to be addressed directly. Ignoring those concerns does not move projects forward, it creates more uncertainty.
That reality was reinforced at a recent Consumer Energy Alliance panel, where industry leaders highlighted both the growing demand for carbon capture and the reality that Texas is moving quickly to attract projects that are currently on hold in Louisiana. If that happens, we risk losing thousands of potential jobs and tens of billions of dollars in capital that could have been built here.
Ascension Parish has the workforce, infrastructure, location, and industrial base to lead. The question is whether we will provide the certainty needed to turn that potential into reality. Our economic history is defined by moments when we chose to compete. This is one of those moments. With the right approach, Louisiana can provide the certainty businesses need, strengthen its competitive position, and ensure these investments are realized here at home. The question isn’t whether we can compete. It’s whether we’re willing to.
The scale of that opportunity is significant. As a new report from LSU’s Center for Energy Studies illustrated, there are currently 13 publicly announced industrial projects in Louisiana with an estimated $48 billion in capital investment that include a carbon capture component. If these facilities move forward, they could support nearly 40,000 jobs annually during construction and contribute roughly $26.8 billion to Louisiana’s Gross State Product over that period.
These investments are not happening in a vacuum. Global markets are driving demand for lower-emissions products, and Louisiana’s energy and manufacturing sectors are adapting to remain competitive. The choice for many companies is not whether to change, but where to make those investments. Ascension Parish has the workforce, infrastructure, and industrial foundation to lead. But leadership in this moment requires more than readiness, it requires clarity, consistency, and trust.
That means providing a regulatory environment that is predictable and fair. It also means ensuring that community members have access to clear, fact-based information and meaningful opportunities to engage. Economic growth and community confidence are not competing priorities, they are mutually dependent.
Our region has always risen to meet moments like this. The question in front of us is not whether the opportunity exists, it clearly does. The question is whether we will approach it in a way that allows us to capture that opportunity while bringing our community along in the process.
Businesses making significant investments want to know that they are doing so in a predictable regulatory environment that offers a clear path forward. When that certainty comes into question, projects do not wait … they move.
