WHEREAS, in addition to the economic benefits to Louisiana and her citizens from the development, transportation and processing of oil and natural gas within and gulfward of the state, there have been significant damages to land, water, and wildlife habitat associated with those activities, and
WHEREAS, many parts of Louisiana are strewn with the artifacts of the development, transportation and processing of oil and natural gas including but not limited to spoil banks, production pits, rusted tank batteries, and flowlines (pipes), many of which are no longer in usc but continue to present disruptions to the ecosystem where they occur including altered hydrology and the threat of contamination, and safety hazards and eyesores, many occurring in some of the otherwise most scenic landscapes in the state, and
WHEREAS, it would be reasonable and progressive to establish a program and funding mechanism to clean up and restore landscapes and hydrology damaged by the development, transportation and processing ofoil and natural gas in Louisiana, that would not place blame but encourage a cooperative effort between the state, affected landowners and the energy development and transportation industry locally and nationally/internationally, and
WHEREAS, the Oilfield Site Restoration Program within the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources which applies to orphaned oil and gas wells and associated pits and production täcilities and is funded by a small assessment on oil and gas produced in the state is an excellent example ofa cooperative and effective oilfield clean-up and restoration program that has been in place for several years but that is confined to only a subset of all sites in need of remediation, those that have been declared orphaned with no owner of record, and
WHEREAS, the current favorable economic climate associated with the production and marketing of oil and natural gas makes it reasonable to request the cooperation of that industry in establishing and funding a progran-l to clean up and restore landscapes, habitat and hydrology damaged by the development, transpottation and processing of oil and natural gas in Louisiana.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Louisiana Wildlife Federation (LWF) the establishment of a no-fäult program funded in part by an assessment on oil/gas pipelines and production and governed by a commission of stakeholders under the general administration of the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources to oversee the implementation of a proactive program to clean up and restore landscapes, habitat and hydrology damaged by the development, transportation and processing ofoil and natural gas in Louisiana.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the LWF urges all oil/gas development, processing and transportation companics and corporations who are currently active in Louisiana, or have been in the past, including successors to those companies and corporations, to work cooperatively with the Louisiana Legislature to establish a no-fault Energy Infrastructure and Oilfield Cleanup Program and Fund within the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources to restore landscapes, habitat and hydrology damaged by the development, transportation and processing of oil and natural gas in Louisiana.
Adopted by the Louisiana Wildlife Federation in convention assembled, 4 March 2007, in Gonzales, Louisiana.