BATON ROUGE – On May 1, the Grow Louisiana Coalition welcomed hundreds of energy supporters to the annual Industry Day at the Capitol Park Museum in Baton Rouge. The event drew educators, lawmakers, policy advisors, energy workers and stakeholders from across the state. More than a dozen interactive stations highlighted energy opportunities, education priorities and coastal protection initiatives.
The Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil & Gas Association, Louisiana Oil and Gas Association and Associated Builders and Contractors co-hosted the event, which also celebrated the 10th anniversary of the coalition.
“Each year, Industry Day showcases the potential of Louisiana’s energy industry, which now has the ability to reach a $100 billion economic impact statewide, while also adding jobs and advanced education,” said a coalition spokesperson. “Louisiana’s oil and gas industry alone already has a $73 billion impact on the state economy and supports approximately 250,000 jobs. According to Louisiana Economic Development, the energy sector can add $30 billion in new capital investments and10,000 new jobs by expanding into areas like offshore wind or biofuels.”
Grow Louisiana Coalition supports the state’s ‘all of the above’ energy strategy to maximize current job opportunities, fund coastal protection projects and encourage energy investments.
“Ten years ago, the Grow Louisiana Coalition was created to be the united voice of the people in Louisiana’s energy industry, many of whom faced an uncertain future,” said Marc Ehrhardt, executive director of the Grow Louisiana Coalition. “Today, GLAC is 110,000 members strong and Louisiana’s energy industry is on the brink of historic breakthroughs that will benefit our current members and future generations. It’s humbling to see how far we’ve come, but we can’t let up now. If Louisiana’s energy expansion is bled dry by bad information or senseless litigation, companies rooted here will be forced out. They will invest billions of dollars and create thousands of jobs elsewhere, where the future of the industry is welcome.”
