An appeals court has ruled in favor of the Terrebonne Parish government in a lawsuit over the method in which the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources is examining possible environmental damage caused by oil companies.
Gov. John Bel Edwards, Attorney General Jeff Landry, along with other parishes are involved in lawsuits against energy companies that claim coastal erosion and wetlands in the state is due to drilling.
Louisiana Department of Natural Resources Secretary Thomas Harris appointed District Attorney Waitz as his “special designee” to examine whether oil and gas companies have violated any environmental laws.
Stephen Waguespack, president and CEO of Louisiana Association of Business and Industry (LABI), said the lawsuits by the state government were the wrong approach to take when addressing environmental concerns.
“This ruling is a win for energy producers in Terrebonne Parish and across south Louisiana. The coastal lawsuits have caused a chilling ripple effect for economic opportunity in our state—especially at a time when new federal restrictions are posing additional threats to this critical industry — and the effects extend well beyond the oil and gas industry,” he told the Louisiana Record. “The coastal lawsuits are simply the wrong approach to balance the obvious need for economic growth and American jobs through domestic energy production with environmental resource protection.”
Yahoo Money reported that the Terrebonne government countered that Waitz’s appointment did not give him power over the Terrebonne Parish government, however they could reject Waitz's appointment because it is authorized by state law.
On Nov. 18, 2020, District Judge Randy Bethancourt of Houma ruled in favor of the state government and dismissed the parish's lawsuit with the parish proceeding to take the case to the 1st Circuit Court of Appeal in Baton Rouge, according to Yahoo Money.