The America’s Energy Coast alliance would include Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi and Alabama in selling the Gulf Coast’s strategic importance in supplying energy to the rest of the country.

The joint effort was announced Friday at a forum in Baton Rouge, but still needs refinement and cooperation from the four states before it can be implemented, state coastal officials said.

Louisiana coastal restoration officials say their goal is to have a written accord in place by June 1, the start of hurricane season.
King Milling, chairman of America’s Wetland Foundation, the Louisiana nonprofit group spearheading the accord, said the state has often struggled to win the attention of Congress for coastal restoration issues.

He said an agreement with the other Gulf states would enable them to more effectively sell the importance of a sustainable coastline to Congress and other funding sources.

Gov. Kathleen Blanco said a sustainable coast, protected from hurricanes, is critical to secure the nation’s energy supply. She said the states will work over the next seven months to draft a common agenda for the coast.

Val Marmillion, managing director of America’s Wetland Foundation, said the other states have not objected to an initial policy statement prepared by Louisiana, but also have not yet thrown their full support behind the accord.

Texas and Mississippi sent representatives from state agencies to the forum Friday, but nobody from Alabama attended.
Jody Henneke, deputy commissioner of coastal resources in Texas, said that for the accord to work, the states and other coastal interests must find a common ground.

“As we have these discussions … we have to be very mindful about setting aside individual egos — individual company egos, individual state egos,” she said.

Friday’s forum brought together a wide range of government, business and environmental leaders.
Among the participants were U.S. Fish and Wildlife Chairman Dale Hall, former Louisiana Gov. Mike Foster, and Randall Luthi, director of the U.S. Minerals Management Service, the federal agency that regulates offshore drilling.

“We cannot do it by ourselves in Louisiana,” said former U.S. Sen. John Breaux, who moderated the forum.
“I think it’s timely that we bring together other coastal states to participate, helping us to tell the rest of the country that it’s time to pay attention when it comes to energy development.”

By JEREMY HARPER
Advocate staff writer

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Watch video on the storm proof home building process