Just recently, scientists predicted that the dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico will be the biggest in history this year due to high water in the Mississippi River. Nitrate and phosphate fertilizers from farms in the midwest are killing the fish when the chemicals flow into the Gulf.
Strange that the federal government can’t control the farmers to keep fertilizers out of our main streams and especially our major stream which flows through several states and ends up creating the dead zone off the Louisiana coast. If the President can issue a moratorium on offshore drilling, he should be able to get rid of this dumping, which has become the main source of pollution in the Gulf of Mexico
State needs bigger share of oil revenue
In a recent visit to St. Charles Parish, Sen. Mary Landrieu emphasized the need for more revenue sharing from oil and gas production off the Louisiana coast. At the present time, Louisiana gets very little of the royalties paid by oil companies even though we provide the infrastructure for that production.
“For years, that money has been pouring into the federal treasury, yet gaps like this exist in St. Charles Parish,” she said referring to the non-completion of a hurricane protection levee to protect St. Charles. Landrieu says, however, that some progress is being made. “Ultimately, we’re hoping for $500 million to $1 billion a year flowing into Louisiana to complete projects like this all over south Louisiana. That’s the big picture, but in the meantime, we’re focused on this gap right here in St. Charles Parish.”
Our area certainly provides a lot of wealth to our nation by supporting oil and gas drilling and accommodating petrochemial plants along our river. This will continue so long as our coast can stay in place to accommodate those industries.
We’re making money these days for the United States of America. Now it is time for us to get a greater share back so we can ensure that it continues.
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