As green energy grows in Louisiana, building community trust is key, Rep. Carter says
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U.S. Rep. Troy Carter speaks in Baton Rouge on May 13, 2024. Photo: Sean Gasser for Axios
As Louisiana industry leaders and lawmakers work toward building green energy infrastructure, work also needs to be done to build community trust, says U.S. Rep. Troy Carter.
Why it matters: Cancer Alley, the so-called 85-mile stretch of land between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, sits at the center of Carter's district.
What he said: "You cannot have a business decide that we're going to factor fines in as a cost of doing business, so they don't matter," Carter said in an Axios event in Baton Rouge on Monday examining the state's clean energy transition. "You can't factor in deaths and harmful emissions."
- "People that don't do right should be punished swiftly and solidly so as to deter and discourage them from violating. And those who do well, we should embrace."
- "Spare the rod. Spoil the child."
Zoom in: As the industry takes shape, said GNO Inc. executive director of future energy Lacy McManus, there's also room for improvement in making sure diversity and equitability are part of its growth.
- "When we look across the highest paid jobs, the highest demand jobs in the energy sector in south Louisiana, over 80% are occupied by white men," McManus said. "I have nothing against white men, but we need more people who are female. We need more people who are BIPOC represented in that workforce."
By the numbers: Since 2018, Louisiana has tallied $50 billion in so-called "future energy" projects across the state, McManus said.
- The state is also seeing tens of millions of dollars of federal investment in its energy workforce, education and infrastructure.
Go deeper: Watch a replay of the Baton Rouge event.