Big Oil’s new best friend: State Government

The assault on private property is unending. First, there was Kelo v. City of New London. Now, Big Oil has State Government as its new best friend. Sen. Robert Adley (District 36), who is welded to Big Oil, is pushing a bill that says a landowner whose property is damaged by Big Oil must turn the proceeds over to the State. Regrettably, Gov. Kathleen Blanco backs the bill. And, shamefully, both Blanco and Adley are Democrats. Lafayette Parish Republicans, Sen. Mike Michot and Sen. Craig Romero, warmly supported Adley’s bill, which favors Big Oil over landowners. Both men jumped at the chance to favor Big Oil.

But, Sen. Butch Gautreaux (St. Mary Parish), Sen. Nick Gautreaux (Lafayette Parish), and Sen. Reggie Dupre (Terrebonne Parish), all Democrats, fought Adley’s bill arguing a landowner, and not the State, has the right to decide what happens to his own property.

Sen. Butch Gautreaux says he'll offer SB 702 that would put district courts in charge of remediation plans and supervision. Gautreaux said, "If we depend on DNR to do it, they could defer action for years and years." Mike Hasten, The Shreveport Times 05/01/2006 Read Article: The Shreveport Times