After much debate, a crude oil pipeline is being allowed to run through the Louisiana wetlands.
According to CourthouseNews.com, the decision concerning the Bayou Bridge Pipeline was confirmed on Jan. 30, when a Louisiana appeals court ruled 4-1 that the Department of Natural Resources was correct in issuing a permit for the pipeline’s construction.
Owned by Entergy Transfer Partners, the Bayou Bridge Pipeline has been met with much opposition, critics claiming that not enough was done to ensure the safety of animals, humans and natural resources. One such opponent of the pipeline is the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal Judge Marc Johnson, who alleges that the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) shirked its duty to uphold the Louisiana Constitution when it issued the permit for the pipeline.
Gifford Briggs
| Courtesy of LOGA
Johnson believes that while the DNR gave a great deal of thought to the economic benefits of the pipeline, the group ignored the potential harm to the natural environment. Energy corporations, on the other hand, are reveling in the progress of the pipeline, as it will make the transportation of oil significantly more efficient.
The Louisiana Oil and Gas Association (LOGA) commented on the court's decision and the benefits the pipeline will bring to the state of Louisiana.
“Pipelines remain the safest and most efficient medium for transporting oil and gas material," Gifford Briggs, President of LOGA, told Louisiana Record. "We should celebrate the construction of pipelines as it takes more traffic off our roads and railways and makes Louisiana safer for all. It is exciting to see this project move forward.”
Once completed, the pipeline will stretch a span of 162 miles and will carry nearly half a million gallons of oil a day through 11 Louisiana parishes and 700 bodies of water. The portion of wetlands that the pipeline will run through has been nicknamed “cancer alley” by detractors, as numerous chemical plants are located nearby.