Guest Column: To win in manufacturing, the U.S. needs La. energy and improved permitting

Our country is the product of our history. And as America’s 250th anniversary nears, those echoes sound with unusual clarity.

Later this year, we will also mark 223 years since Oct. 17, 1803, when President Thomas Jefferson urged Congress to ratify the treaty formalizing the Louisiana Purchase. He said the new territory would bring “important aids to our Treasury, an ample provision for our prosperity, and a widespread field for the blessings of freedom.”

He was right.

From the day Standard Oil built its Baton Rouge refinery in 1909, Louisiana has powered America’s prosperity. Much has changed since Jefferson’s time, but one truth remains: Louisiana’s leadership in energy remains essential to American manufacturing and a cornerstone of our national strength.

Manufacturers champion an “all of the above” energy strategy — a path to unleash America’s energy dominance. And that path runs through Louisiana.

The manufacturing industry consumes one-third of the nation’s energy. To lead as an industry, every energy source, every electron counts. Manufacturers understand that leadership isn’t about producing more, it’s about using energy wisely.

Manufacturing is key to Louisiana’s economy, representing 17% of state GDP and nearly $58 billion in output. More than 143,000 Louisianans work in manufacturing, earning nearly double the state’s average wage. Those jobs depend on access to abundant, affordable energy, because manufacturers make energy and use energy.

The resilience, affordability and reliability of U.S. oil and gas underpin our industrial base, our national security and our ability to compete globally. In Louisiana, manufacturers are on the front lines of that effort, onshore and offshore alike from the state’s pipelines to its LNG terminals. And the state has made it clear over the years that energy and manufacturing are top priorities.

But leadership also requires follow-through. Too many critical projects remain stuck in permitting limbo, waiting for approvals that should have come long ago. Louisiana alone has billions of dollars in potential investment literally stuck. Words must be turned into action to move projects forward. With billions on the line, manufacturing needs a predictable permitting process that sparks long-term certainty.

Since day one of President Donald Trump’s administration, he has answered the calls of manufacturers by reversing the previous administration’s ban on liquefied natural gas exports. That decision reaffirmed America’s commitment to lead the world in energy production and trade.

If we want to keep leading, manufacturers need comprehensive permitting reform now. America’s broken permitting system is costing America’s manufacturers $8 billion each year, according to recent analysis by the National Association of Manufacturers and the Foundation for American Innovation. It takes roughly 80% longer to approve a major energy or infrastructure project in the U.S. than in other advanced economies. That means higher costs, fewer jobs and slower growth.

There is bipartisan momentum in Congress to get permitting reform done in 2026. America needs a more efficient, more reliable permitting system to build the infrastructure that powers growth and keeps our industry competitive. This year, Congress can deliver the certainty manufacturers need to build faster, invest with confidence and improve the quality of life for all Americans.

We can’t power the factories of the future if we can’t build them.

Louisiana has long shown that energy production and environmental stewardship can coexist. With smart policy, a modern permitting system and predictable rules, that balance can endure.

Two centuries after Jefferson’s words, Louisiana continues to fuel America’s future through energy, manufacturing and innovation.

When Louisiana’s energy and manufacturing sectors thrive, America wins.