House committee delays Department reorganization bill after agriculture, groundwater concerns

Senate Bill 244, a wide-ranging reorganization to rename the Department of Natural Resources to the Department of Conservation and Energy and restructure leadership, was amended and then voluntarily deferred by the House Natural Resources Committee on May 28, 2025, after lawmakers and stakeholders pressed for clarifications on groundwater authority and an agricultural exemption.

The bill "is to create, to streamline the Department of Natural Resources, to rename the Department of Natural Resources to the Department of Conservation and Energy," sponsor Senator Blake Henskins said, adding the measure removes a layer of bureaucracy by eliminating assistant-secretary posts and changing many references from "commissioner" to "secretary." He asked the committee to add several amendments before the bill returns next week.

Supporters said the reorganization aims to modernize agency structure and improve interagency coordination. Dustin Davidson, deputy secretary at the Department of Energy and Natural Resources, described the bill as "a continued effort . . . in reorganizing the department," saying most changes are name or title updates and that "there are no changes to carbon capture" or to long-standing statutory functions. Tyler Gray, of the department, said an amendment would let the legislature create one-year advisory committees by concurrent resolution so stakeholders could address issues in a targeted way.

Lawmakers adopted three sets of amendments in committee action. Amendment set 3,571 adds the executive director of the State Soil and Water Conservation Commission to the Natural Resources Commission and authorizes the legislature to create advisory committees; amendment set 3,521 restores an agricultural-use exemption that had been removed in an earlier Senate floor change; and amendment set 3,360 made technical edits and changes to expedited permitting, the use of the Louisiana asset management pool, and several office name changes. Each set was moved favorable and adopted without recorded opposition.

Despite those changes, several witnesses and members urged clearer language on groundwater authority and local commissions. Kathy Waskom of the Louisiana Environmental Action Network said the bill, as amended on the Senate floor, left "exclusive authority to the department" and created "limbo" for the Capital Area Groundwater Commission, which she and others said has been working with the Water Institute of the Gulf on a sustainability plan. "You cannot make sustainability plans for the state unless you actually know how much water is being used," Waskom said.

Commissioner Strain (as identified in testimony), who spoke for agricultural stakeholders, and Lisa Loop of the Louisiana Nursery and Landscape Association both urged retention of the agricultural exemption and a seat at the table for the State Soil and Water Conservation Commission. "We represent the largest sector of landowners," Commissioner Strain said, arguing the exemption protects farm operations from future metering or regulation.

Department officials responded that the bill does not add new restrictions on private wells and that existing well regulation remains largely a registration requirement; Dustin Davidson said some well oversight proposals would move to occupational licensing for administrative fit. On confidentiality and carbon-capture applications, department staff said federal primacy received from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency created confidentiality provisions in earlier law and the bill clarifies how proprietary information and public requests will be handled.

After discussion and public testimony from representatives of the Louisiana Farm Bureau, Louisiana Rice Growers Association, Louisiana Nursery and Landscape Association, Entergy, Sierra Club Delta Chapter and others, Chairman Guymon moved to voluntarily defer Senate Bill 244 for one week so remaining amendments could be finalized. The motion to defer to the committee's next meeting was adopted without recorded opposition.

What happens next: committee staff said the bill will return next week in its amended form for another overview, additional amendments and public testimony. The committee explicitly left in place the agriculture exemption and the new commission seat pending final drafting and said it will work to clarify the status and authorities of local groundwater bodies such as the Capital Area Groundwater Commission.