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Representative Owen defers resolution to repudiate Louisiana Climate Action Plan after committee debate
Summary
Representative Owen presented HR 216 to repudiate the 2022 Louisiana Climate Action Plan; after sustained questioning, departmental responses and public comment, he voluntarily deferred the resolution and said he will return with a proposal for a hearing.
Representative Owen introduced House Resolution 216 seeking to repudiate the Louisiana Climate Action Plan of 2022, arguing the legislature was not given meaningful oversight when the plan was prepared and that companies have since cited the plan in permit applications. The measure prompted extended exchanges with colleagues and agencies.
Vice Chair Orseron and others noted some legislators — including Representatives Zarrang and Orseron — had participated in the 2022 process. Secretary Dustin Davidson (Department of Conservation and Energy) told the committee the plan is not law, the current administration does not support the plan's emission-reduction goals, and that some activities mentioned within the plan had previously enjoyed broad legislative support. Representative Owen said his aim was transparency and an opportunity for the legislature to review the plan and its expenditures; he offered to defer and instead pursue a hearing to examine the plan’s contents, fiscal deliverables and use in permit applications.
Public comment included Mary Ann Muschatt of New Orleans, who opposed repudiating the study, saying Louisiana faces existential risks from climate impacts and that discarding the plan would be short-sighted. After debate, Representative Owen voluntarily deferred HR 216 and committed to filing an alternate resolution requesting a committee hearing to review and assess the plan.
Quote: "Our citizens deserve transparency," Representative Owen said as he agreed to defer the resolution and request a hearing; Secretary Dustin Davidson cautioned that "we should read the entire document before opposing any projects or activities mentioned within it."
