This legislative resolution directs the House Committee on Natural Resources and Environment to hold a hearing reviewing the 2022 Louisiana Climate Action Plan and its related priority plan. The measure aims to assess whether these documents remain relevant under current state and federal policies that emphasize energy production and limited government intervention. During the hearing, the committee may solicit input from various state agencies and stakeholders to evaluate the plan's alignment with economic goals and national objectives. Additionally, the review is tasked with investigating potential foreign influences in the original plan's creation and determining which provisions should be retained or repudiated.
This concurrent resolution urges the state of Louisiana and its agencies to officially reject the 2022 Louisiana Climate Action Plan and declare it non-binding on future laws and policies. The bill argues that the plan undermines the state's energy economy and property rights by promoting federal regulations and international climate goals over local interests. It requests that any new environmental initiatives include input from industry stakeholders and that the legislature exercise its oversight authority by holding hearings before adopting executive actions. Additionally, the resolution commits the state to prioritizing energy independence, free-market principles, and domestic resource management instead of relying on federal mandates.
This bill prohibits the placement of carbon dioxide sequestration pipelines in the same right-of-way as existing petroleum pipelines in Louisiana. The law directly affects pipeline operators and energy companies by requiring them to use separate corridors for transporting carbon dioxide for storage purposes. This restriction aims to keep carbon dioxide transport infrastructure distinct from petroleum infrastructure, though it does not prevent the use of existing pipelines for other purposes. The measure applies statewide and would require new planning and coordination for carbon capture and storage projects.
HB 419 limits civil liability for oil and gas companies regarding greenhouse gas emissions that comply with state and federal laws. It directly affects covered entities like oil producers, refiners, and pipeline operators by blocking lawsuits alleging contributions to climate change ("climate change claims"). Key provisions state these entities cannot be held liable for such claims if emissions follow applicable regulations, while preserving liability for personal injury, property damage, environmental violations, or gross negligence. The bill does not apply to carbon capture projects and explicitly aims to prevent courts from establishing climate policy instead of legislative or regulatory processes.
HB 498 gives Beauregard Parish's governing authority (the Police Jury) the power to ban carbon dioxide sequestration projects and pipelines transporting carbon dioxide within the parish through a local resolution or ordinance. The bill requires the parish to notify the state Department of Conservation and Energy of any such ban, which would override state permits or approvals for these projects. It directly affects Beauregard Parish residents, landowners, and potential energy developers by allowing local control over these specific infrastructure projects. The law is limited to Beauregard Parish and does not apply to other parishes in Louisiana.
HB 877 prohibits carbon capture facilities in Louisiana from sharing pipelines for transporting carbon dioxide to storage sites. The bill directly affects carbon capture project operators and pipeline owners by requiring separate pipelines for each facility's CO2 transport. Its key provision, added to state law (R.S. 30:1116), explicitly bans owners of separate storage facilities from using the same pipeline for CO2 delivery. This creates a new regulatory requirement for pipeline infrastructure planning and construction. The bill aims to prevent shared pipeline usage, though it does not address pipeline safety standards or costs.
HB 504 authorizes Sabine Parish's governing authority (the Police Jury) to prohibit Class VI carbon dioxide injection wells, carbon dioxide sequestration projects, and pipelines transporting carbon dioxide within the parish. The bill gives Sabine Parish the power to block these projects through a local resolution or ordinance, overriding state permitting authority. It requires the parish to notify the state Department of Conservation and Energy of any prohibition and ensures such local decisions supersede conflicting state permits or approvals. This directly affects residents and developers in Sabine Parish by allowing the parish to decide whether carbon dioxide infrastructure can be built there.
HB 510 prohibits the importation of captured carbon dioxide (CO2) into Louisiana for underground storage. It requires that any CO2 stored in Louisiana must have been generated within the state itself. The bill mandates that Louisiana's Secretary of the Department of Natural Resources must verify this local generation requirement before approving storage permits or eminent domain actions for CO2 reservoirs. This directly affects companies or entities seeking to store CO2 in Louisiana, blocking the use of imported CO2 for sequestration projects.
HB 707 updates Louisiana's Liquefied Petroleum Gas Commission rules to redirect assessment fees toward promoting propane use through advertising, trade shows, and consumer rebates for propane appliances. It requires the commission to form an advisory board with nine industry representatives (including specific permit holders) to advise on fund allocation. The board must meet publicly and can hold virtual sessions, with members serving without pay. The bill also allows the commission to partner with the Department of Agriculture for market development efforts. Currently pending in committee.
HB 595 transfers exclusive authority over natural resource development permits from local governments to the state department. It prohibits parishes, cities, and other local entities from requiring permits or enacting ordinances that could delay or block state-led development of resources like oil, gas, or minerals. The bill specifically states that no local government may impose permitting requirements related to natural resources, shifting all regulatory control to the state. This directly affects local governments and developers who previously navigated local permitting processes. The law aims to streamline state oversight for resource projects by eliminating overlapping local requirements.
