Oilmen say Obama took ‘backdoor’

Some of the most recognizable voices from Louisiana’s energy industry are questioning the intent of a recent ruling by the Environmental Protection Agency and wondering if President Barack Obama played too heavy a hand. Earlier this month, the EPA announced its finding that greenhouse gas emissions that drift into the atmosphere from domestic sources pose a “public threat” to the nation’s health and welfare. While the finding was not entirely unexpected, Don Briggs, president of the Louisiana Oil and Gas Association, says Obama’s backing of the EPA opinion establishes a framework for his administration to create an emissions trading system. Congress voted down a similar system earlier this year that was backed by Obama and more commonly known as cap and trade. Instead of going through the legislative process again, Obama can now have his agency draw up the controversial rules and regulate them, Briggs adds. “The Obama administration has been knocking at the front door,” Briggs says. “While all along, they had the key to the backdoor and are now standing in the living room.” The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality sent a letter to the EPA stating that its ruling sets the “stage for regulation of greenhouse gas emissions from stationary sources, such as power plants, refineries, pulp and paper mills, etc. under the Clean Air Act.” DEQ’s letter said it “strongly believes that finding carbon dioxide and the other five greenhouse gases as an endangerment will increase regulatory programs and create an undue burden on industries, such as the oil and gas industry.” To read the full story, click here. To read the rest of 10/12 Corridor Weekly, click here.— Jeremy Alford