WASHINGTON -- Louisiana's quest for a permanent source of financing for coastal restoration took a hit Thursday when Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., withdrew her legislation in the face of staunch opposition from a key member of her own party.
Landrieu said Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., had threatened just before a pivotal committee hearing to derail a sweeping national energy bill unless she withdrew an amendment to direct 50 percent of the $6 billion in annual offshore oil and gas royalties to coastal energy-producing states, such as Louisiana. Bingaman said no state has a claim to royalties in federal waters, even though states, like his, split revenues with the federal government for drilling on land.
Landrieu said she decided to withdraw her revenue-sharing amendment moments before the Energy Committee hearing to avoid a public showdown with Bingaman, the top-ranking Democrat on the panel.
Billions in guaranteed annual funds for Louisiana's eroding wetlands aren't worth a "public showdown"? With Bingaman?! A Senator from a landlocked state that doesn't even have a wetland?!
I mean, C'mon!!
Have Senate Republicans become the most stalwart defenders of Louisiana coast? Sen. David Vitter is holding fast, and may vote against any energy bill that doesn't include revenue-sharing. Kudos. But you'll never guess who came out with the strongest rhetoric on the issue:
[Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M.] angrily denounced the [oil/gas royalty] disparity, saying Louisiana, as the main producer of oil and gas in the country, deserves a share of federal revenues to repair its coast.
"It's absolutely wrong to say 'Thank you, Louisiana. You have been a good soldier. Your shoreline is going to hell, but this formula is terrific,' " Domenici said. "I will do everything I can to fix that."
Effing-A, dude!!
Bouquets to the Republican Senator from the Land of Enchantment for his statement of support. Bricks for his Democratic counterpart.
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Interestingly, this issue traces back to a greedy, short-sighted, racist power-broker from Plaquemines, Judge Perez. He pushed "all in" in a game of poker with Harry Truman and lost the pot:
Leander Perez is best known in Louisiana history as the bullying segregationist and powerful boss of Plaquemines Parish, who built a political and financial empire.
But when current Louisiana politicians talk about Perez, it is his stubborn refusal more than 50 years ago to cut a deal with the Truman administration over sharing offshore oil and gas royalties that dominates the conversation.
Two generations of Louisiana lawmakers have tried, so far unsuccessfully, to claim a share of the billions of dollars in revenue that Perez passed up.
...
None of this maneuvering would be necessary had Perez not scuttled an offer in 1949 by President Truman to settle a long-running dispute over control of the resource-rich waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Truman offered the state 100 percent of the royalties paid by oil and gas companies up to 3 miles from shore and 37.5 percent for anything farther out.
Perez, whose power stretched far beyond Plaquemines Parish, insisted Louisiana hold out for 100 percent of it all, the 3-mile limit and beyond.
Truman withdrew the offer, and the state has since received only a narrow slice of the estimated $155 billion in royalties paid to the federal treasury.
