Continuing the Conversation: Energy Policy in the Aftermath of the BP Oil Spill

News Type: 
Climate and Clean Energy

July 22 - Last Thursday, July 15, a sense of relief and excitement flowed through the minds of millions of people across the United States when they received news that oil was no longer gushing into the Gulf of Mexico. As part of BP's "well integrity test,” a new cap was placed over the oil-leaking well which successfully closed all valves and suppressed the oil leak.

However, BP urged everyone not to become too excited over the successful cap. The company will be conducting tests to see if it can continue applying pressure to the well bore without damaging it. If these recurring tests indicate that the pressure is acceptable, the temporary suppression of the leak may continue until BP finishes building two relief wells that will plug the leak with mud and cement.

Whether it is temporary or not, the image of no oil gushing into the Gulf is comforting. Despite BP's warning that the public should have "cautious optimism" about this halt, many Gulf Coast citizens cannot help but dream that this is the well-deserved beginning of the end of a monumental disaster.

So, what will happen if we adopt this optimistic view and believe that the sealing of the leak is the beginning of the end? Once the end comes (hopefully very soon) and the oil spill is permanently contained, what do we, as Louisiana citizens, do? What can we do in the wake of this crisis in order to speed up recovery and avoid future disasters?

Rahm Emanuel tells us to “never let a serious crisis go to waste.” As excited and relieved as we feel to no longer see or hear about oil gushing into our gulf, it would be a shame if we forgot the lessons we learned from this ongoing catastrophe. During the oil spill, our community has stood up to BP and the federal government and placed its focus on our needs as concerned citizens: to physically stop the spill, compensate directly affected people and small businesses for their loss of livelihood (or income), and implement new laws to make sure this catastrophe does not happen again.

We at the Alliance urge Louisiana and other Gulf Coast citizens to maintain an active voice in oil and energy-related issues. We must encourage more accountability, the prioritization of our health and security over corporate profit, and creative solutions that can sustain our livelihoods.
 
Most importantly, we must acknowledge that our current energy policies do not go far enough to protect the people of our community and the resources that sustain us.
 
Louisiana is fortunate to have many clean, renewable energy resources that can be utilized including wind, solar, and geothermal energy. Additionally, New Orleans has dedicated funds to support energy efficiency measures in homes through the city’s Energy Smart program. The potential for a large scale shift to healthier energy resources and practices exists, but still requires the will of the public and our political leaders.
 
One such policy is the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS), which would ultimately require utility companies to use an increasing percentage of renewable energy resources when producing electricity. Today, 32 states and the District of Columbia have enacted an RPS and 19 of those states have taken further steps by improving and expanding their RPS including Arizona, Texas, Nevada and New York. Louisiana falls behind all of these states. Thus far, Louisiana has taken a small step forward with a new pilot program for 350 megawatts of new renewable energy generation,, but by enacting an full-fledged RPS, it would be a leader in the Deep South. Most importantly, an RPS moves us away from reliance on fossil fuels, thereby lessening the risk of future catastrophes like the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill.   
 
To learn more about the vital energy policies needed for New Orleans and Louisiana, contact the Alliance and become a member today. Join us! Together, we can ensure a healthy future for our coast.