The Louisiana Bucket Brigade released the following statement regarding the Trump inauguration and the battery of first day policies, including a lifting of the pause on gas exports. The statement should be attributed to Anne Rolfes, Executive Director.

“As a new Administration takes office and proceeds to act on behalf of the fossil fuel industry, we underscore our own vision for economic progress and racial equity:

#1 Support for small businesses rather than destructive mega petrochemical complexes and the gas export industry. Our government should support the development of small businesses rather than lavish tax breaks and subsidies on the fossil fuel industry. We will work to help small businesses, including local environmental justice organizations, thrive.

#2 Rejuvenation of the Louisiana fishing industry, with policies that prioritize fishermen, shrimpers, oystermen, and crabbers. This industry is especially at risk in Cameron Parish, where gas tankers run fishing families off of their fishing grounds and pollute the fragile area where our seafood has thrived.

#3 Center cultural resources in economic development. The plantation legacy of the Mississippi River has left unmarked burial sites of the enslaved along the Mississippi River. It is time to honor these sites, centering their preservation and the advancement of knowledge as the foundation of a local economy.

#4 Enforce laws that protect people and the environment. This photo shows Venture Global’s flare in Cameron Parish on January 19, 2025. The company released toxic chemicals into the air and water throughout 2024, and gas export tankers pushed fishing families off their fishing grounds. It’s long past time for the federal government to enforce the law and protect us. This would allow local communities – including Louisiana fishermen – to flourish.

#5 Support neighborhood development. Local parish governments in Cameron, St. James, and Ascension Parishes have bent to the will of the state and federal government, making it possible for corporations that don’t give a damn about Louisiana to destroy communities and build huge facilities. Part of this has included withdrawing services from areas deemed right for industrialization. Instead of destroying our own neighbors, we must improve housing stock and invest in schools that will enrich our communities.

We will not allow outsized mega polluters to take over our state. It’s not good for anyone who lives in and loves Louisiana.”

ABOUT LOUISIANA BUCKET BRIGADE

The Louisiana Bucket Brigade collaborates with communities on the fenceline of polluting industry in Louisiana. We engage in grassroots action to hasten the transition from fossil fuels.

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