On tour: House Majority Whip Steve Scalise is taking a batch of congressmen on a tour of the Gulf of Mexico’s offshore oil and gas industry, The Associated Press reports. Scalise, a Republican from Louisiana, has led energy tours for his peers since he became a House member in 2008. Today, he’s showing off the industry to six other congressmen—five Republicans and one Democrat. The politicians will visit an oil production platform in the Gulf of Mexico, meet and talk with industry leaders and tour Port Fourchon, an important oil and gas hub that services the offshore industry. Scalise will be joined by Reps. Jeff Duncan, R-South Carolina, Jody Hice, R-Georgia, Bill Johnson, R-Ohio, Dan Newhouse, R-Washington, Tom Reed, R-New York, and Marc Veasey, D-Texas.
Plus one: Gov. John Bel Edwards says he wants to make sure the state of Louisiana gets its share of the pie if lawsuits against oil and gas companies over damage to coastal wetlands are successful, The Associated Press reports. That’s why the his administration has joined the state attorney general in getting involved in lawsuits filed by Plaquemines, Jefferson, and Cameron parishes against oil and gas companies. Edwards says the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources is seeking to intervene in those lawsuits. Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry moved to take over the suits last month. The suits seek compensation for alleged violations of coastal permits and widespread coastal damage and pollution caused by drilling and related activity.
Last chance: Today is the last day to vote for your favorite Baton Rouge establishments in the 2016 Best of 225 Awards. There are nearly 60 categories in this year’s edition.Votes are being sought in the three main categories: food and drink; people and entertainment; and shopping and services.The voting forms can be filled out online at 225’s website. It should take less than 10 minutes to complete all three questionnaires.For more information, visit 225’s FAQ page. Click here to make your picks, and view a list of past winners.
