2015 LA Governor's race: on Environment


David Vitter: Coastal restoration with private funding

The four candidates discussed what they would do as governor to repair Louisiana's eroding coast. About 1,900 square miles of coast have eroded into the Gulf of Mexico since the 1930s. Each one backed a $50 billion, 50-year master plan--opposed by many fishermen--devised by Gov. Bobby Jindal's administration to slow land loss by diverting the Mississippi River's mud and water into injured estuaries.

Vitter said diversions are "going to be the most difficult, the most controversial" aspects of the restoration plan. He added: "The possible negative impacts are very real." He added that "you have to measure and tweak projects as you go along."

The candidates predicted the eventual cost of coastal restoration would reach $100 billion. Vitter said he would seek to engage private companies, such as oil and gas companies, in spending more on the coast. Edwards and Dardenne offered similar ideas. Vitter also said he would work with other Gulf states to expand offshore drilling to bring in more funds.

Source: Associated Press on 2015 Louisiana gubernatorial debate Aug 19, 2015

Jay Dardenne: Coastal restoration with federal funding

The four candidates for governor each said fixing Louisiana's dire coastal land loss will require moving ahead with plans to divert Mississippi River water into disappearing estuaries. The candidates discussed what they would do as governor to repair Louisiana's eroding coast. Each one backed a $50 billion, 50-year master plan devised by Gov. Jindal's administration to slow land loss by diverting the Mississippi River's mud and water into injured estuaries. Fishermen oppose river diversions because they would alter water conditions and likely make it difficult, and perhaps impossible, to harvest shellfish where fresh water is flushed into estuaries.

Dardenne said he would campaign for more federal funding. "We need the assistance of America to make sure this program works," he said. "Everybody needs to know this is America's wetlands." Vitter said he would seek to engage private companies, such as oil and gas companies, in spending more on the coast. Edwards and Dardenne offered similar ideas.

Source: Associated Press on 2015 Louisiana gubernatorial debate Aug 19, 2015

John Bel Edwards: Mississippi River diversion: backbone to coastal restoration

The candidates discussed what they would do as governor to repair Louisiana's eroding coast. Each one backed a $50 billion, 50-year master plan devised by Gov. Jindal's administration to slow land loss by diverting the Mississippi River's mud and water into injured estuaries. The idea is to restore the river's delta-building capacity.

Fishermen oppose river diversions because they would alter water conditions and likely make it difficult to harvest shrimp, crabs and oysters where fresh water is flushed into estuaries.

"Simply put, diversions are the backbone" to coastal restoration, Edwards said. But he said projects need to be weighed against socio-economic factors.

The four candidates did not propose large-scale new mechanisms for funding the enterprise, even as candidates predicted the cost of coastal restoration would reach $100 billion. Edwards said he would seek to get the federal government to do more to fix Louisiana's problems. "This is a national priority," he said.

Source: Associated Press on 2015 Louisiana gubernatorial debate Aug 19, 2015

David Vitter: Drafted hurricane protection & flood control bill

Vitter's spokesman points to Vitter's work with Democrats & fellow Republicans to move legislation important to the nation and the state of Louisiana. He points to the Water Resources and Development Act (WRRDA) that he and liberal Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) drafted and passed with key hurricane protection, flood control and navigation provisions for Louisiana. Another example, he said, is the chemical safety bill he drafted with Democratic Sen. Tom Udall of New Mexico, which recently cleared the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. He also helped draft and win Senate passage, again with Boxer, of a long-term highway funding bill.

"David Vitter has always fought for Louisiana values and gotten things done," his spokesman said. "Passing major bipartisan bills like WRRDA, the flood insurance fix, and the Steve Gleason Act; holding agencies like the Corps and FEMA accountable--that's the Vitter record, and nobody can match it."

Source: Times-Picayune coverage of 2015 Louisiana Gubernatorial race May 29, 2015

  • The above quotations are from 2015 Louisiana Gubernatorial race: debates and news coverage.
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Candidates and political leaders on Environment:

Retired Senate as of Jan. 2015:
GA:Chambliss(R)
IA:Harkin(D)
MI:Levin(D)
MT:Baucus(D)
NE:Johanns(R)
OK:Coburn(R)
SD:Johnson(D)
WV:Rockefeller(D)

Resigned from 113th House:
AL-1:Jo Bonner(R)
FL-19:Trey Radel(R)
LA-5:Rod Alexander(R)
MA-5:Ed Markey(D)
MO-9:Jo Ann Emerson(R)
NC-12:Melvin Watt(D)
SC-1:Tim Scott(R) 		Retired House to run for Senate or Governor:
AR-4:Tom Cotton(R)
GA-1:Jack Kingston(R)
GA-10:Paul Broun(R)
GA-11:Phil Gingrey(R)
HI-1:Colleen Hanabusa(D)
IA-1:Bruce Braley(D)
LA-6:Bill Cassidy(R)
ME-2:Mike Michaud(D)
MI-14:Gary Peters(D)
MT-0:Steve Daines(R)
OK-5:James Lankford(R)
PA-13:Allyson Schwartz(D)
TX-36:Steve Stockman(R)
WV-2:Shelley Capito(R) 		Retired House as of Jan. 2015:
AL-6:Spencer Bachus(R)
AR-2:Tim Griffin(R)
CA-11:George Miller(D)
CA-25:Howard McKeon(R)
CA-33:Henry Waxman(D)
CA-45:John Campbell(R)
IA-3:Tom Latham(R)
MN-6:Michele Bachmann(R)
NC-6:Howard Coble(R)
NC-7:Mike McIntyre(D)
NJ-3:Jon Runyan(R)
NY-4:Carolyn McCarthy(D)
NY-21:Bill Owens(D)
PA-6:Jim Gerlach(R)
UT-4:Jim Matheson(D)
VA-8:Jim Moran(D)
VA-10:Frank Wolf(R)
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Page last updated: Dec 07, 2018