Louisiana
Louisiana ranked second in nation in 2023 for greenhouse gas emissions from major industries
Louisiana’s major industrial facilities emitted more greenhouse gases last year than almost every other state in the nation, new federal data shows, illustrating the challenges in addressing climate change locally.
Emissions for 2023 were actually a 2.21% reduction from 2022 totals, but still enough to rank second among U.S. states, according to data from the Environmental Protection Agency. The emissions from the plants in question amounted to just over 144 million tons of greenhouse gases.
The carbon-related emissions by Louisiana’s 403 major industrial facilities were less than Texas’s 381 million tons from 869 facilities, but above Florida’s 109 million tons from 179 facilities and Indiana’s 109 million tons from 197 facilities.
Facilities that emit 25,000 metric tons of greenhouse gases – including carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and fluorinated carbon compounds – have been required to report their emissions to EPA each year since 2011. The approximately 8,100 facilities nationwide represent about half the human-caused greenhouse gas emissions in the country. The numbers don’t include emissions from the transportation or agricultural sectors, as well as facilities whose emissions are below the 25,000-ton reporting threshold.
The 2023 national totals from large facilities were down about 4% from 2022, and about 22% from 2011, with that larger reduction credited to decreases in power plant emissions, and despite the tracking of additional emission sources after 2016.
Human-caused greenhouse gases trap energy attempting to leave the Earth, resulting in the atmosphere retaining more heat and holding more moisture. That also results in the world’s oceans holding more heat, increasing sea level rise rates and helping fuel tropical storms and hurricanes. Those processes are often referred to as global warming.
Increasing temperatures also have been linked to increases in drought conditions and wildfires, and the spread of some diseases and of invasive species.
In Louisiana, climate change is expected to have an increasing role in land loss resulting from sea level rise, in flooding because of more intense rainfall and in more frequent drought conditions.
On its current path, Louisiana would only see 89 million tons fewer emissions by 2050, or 62% of the goal of net zero emissions by that year set by former Gov. John Bel Edwards’ Carbon Initiatives Task Force in 2022.
The task force was allowed to expire by Gov. Jeff Landry when he took office in January, and its action plan is now dormant. Still, the state has moved forward with a variety of efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that it says fits Landry’s support for growth of oil and gas production, while also meeting demands of industry to support low- or no-carbon manufacturing projects.
“We recognize that diversifying energy sources, increasing energy resilience and providing options for carbon management present new and growing opportunities for job growth and economic development in our state. This is why Louisiana is embracing an all-of-the-above approach to encouraging energy production, from our traditional oil and gas sources to emerging industries such as offshore wind,” said Patrick Courreges, a spokesperson for the Louisiana Department of Energy and Natural Resources.
This map shows the location of major industrial facilities that reported more than 25,000 metric tons of carbon emissions in Louisiana in 2023, with the circle width indicating the amount of emissions. The data comes from EPA’s FLIGHT, Facility Level Information on Greenhouse gases Tool. (EPA)
Louisiana’s top emitting facility is CF Industries’ Donaldson nitrogen manufacturing plant, with 9.4 million tons. But both EPA and the company agree that the reported emission totals do not tell the whole story. That’s because CF Industries uses between 25% and 30% of its carbon emissions to manufacture urea each year, and that percentage is not emitted to the atmosphere.
Louisiana’s numbers also represent increases in greenhouse gases from three natural gas liquefaction facilities.
Sabine Pass LNG, the state’s second-largest emitter; Venture Global – Cameron Parish, the ninth largest emitter; and Cameron LNG Hackberry, represent 11.7 million tons of the state’s total. Another six LNG facilities for Louisiana have announced plans for construction or are in the permitting process.
This graphic shows Louisiana’s top 10 greenhouse gas emitters, and the industry sectors they fit in. (EPA)
The 2023 statistics also don’t recognize efforts to develop carbon capture, utilization, and storage, or CCUS, where carbon dioxide equivalent gases are permanently stored deep underground in injection wells.
Earlier this year, the state Department of Energy and Natural Resources received EPA permission to permit and regulate those facilities in the state. Louisiana was reviewing 26 applications that would include a total of 65 injection wells as of Oct. 2, with many of the facilities planning on permanent storage of 1 million tons or more carbon a year.
That includes CCUS facilities proposed by ExxonMobil that would reduce its future carbon emissions, and may also be used to permanently store as much as 2 million tons a year of carbon from the CF facility.
These 10 major industrial facilities are the top 10 emitters of greenhouse gases in 2023, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. (EPA)
ExxonMobil also has announced plans to develop CCUS operations off the Texas coast that could store as much as 100 million tons of carbon a year, some of it from Louisiana.
Another potential future effort is the $1.2 billion Project Cypress to build direct air capture facilities in Calcasieu and Caddo parishes, with each eventually expected to remove as much as 1 million metric tons of carbon a year from the air and store it in injection wells. The project expects to receive as much as $550 million from the federal Department of Energy, with the remainder invested by private industry.
On Thursday, ClimeWorks, one of the private investors in the project, announced it had entered into a long-term agreement with Morgan Stanley to underwrite the cost of removing of 40,000 tons of carbon dioxide from the area through 2037.
In Louisiana, the largest percentage of greenhouse gas emissions comes from chemical manufacturing plants, followed by power plants, LNG export facilities and other petroleum and natural gas systems, and refineries. (EPA)
“Louisiana’s natural resources, such as the Mississippi River, gives it the ability to be an international hub for investment in carbon sequestration, with applications being reviewed for more than two dozen proposed CO2 sequestration projects around the state,” Courreges said.
Charles Sutcliffe, a senior adviser for resilience with the National Wildlife Federation who was previously Louisiana’s first state resilience officer, said key parts of Edwards’ climate action plan are still in play under Landry, in part thanks to millions of dollars in federal grants.
The state received a $3 million grant in 2023 for three years of climate pollution reduction planning and in April won a $156 million Solar for All grant to create solar-powered electricity hubs.
Downtown Lafayette Louisiana: Cajun music, food, and festivals
See how downtown Lafayette blends live music, public art, local restaurants, and festivals into a walkable hub of Cajun culture in southwest Louisiana.
Louisiana is often referred to as the “Festival Capital of the World,” earning this title because of the hundreds of festivals that take place annually throughout the state.
More than 400 festivals take place each year in Louisiana, ranging from cultural and food celebrations to music and seasonal events.
Three festivals, Rougarou Fest, Jazz Fest and Beignet Fest, were named among the top 10 festivals in various categories by USA Today.
Rougarou Fest in Houma named on USA Today’s 10Best Cultural Festivals
Rougarou Fest in Houma was named by USA Today’s 10Best Reader’s Choice Awards as the seventh best cultural festival.
Rougarou Fest is a free, family-friendly festival that celebrates the rich folklore of Southeast Louisiana. The Rougarou is a folklore creature that’s described as having the head of a wolf or dog and the body of a human, like a werewolf. Stories of the Rougarou have been used by Cajun parents for generations to get children to behave.
The event, which takes place at 86 Valhi Blvd. in Houma, showcases live music, cultural activities, children’s activities, Cajun food, the Krewe Ga Rou parade and more. This year, the festival will take place from Oct. 23 to Oct. 25.
Here are the 10 best cultural festivals in the U.S. according to USA Today:
- Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián (San Juan, Puerto Rico)
- Black Wall Street Rally (Tulsa, Oklahoma)
- Dublin Irish Festival (Dublin, Ohio)
- Fyr Bal Festival (Ephraim, Wisconsin)
- Anchorage Fur Rendezvous (Anchorage, Alaska)
- Black Food Truck Festival (Charleston, South Carolina)
- Rougarou Fest (Houma, Louisiana)
- World Food & Music Festival (Des Moines, Iowa)
- Celebrate Nashville Cultural Festival (Nashville, Tennessee)
- Celtic Music and Heritage Festival (St. Augustine, Florida)
New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival named among 10 best music festivals by USA Today
The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, also known as Jazz Fest, was named the seventh best music festival on USA Today’s 10Best Reader’s Choice Awards.
This festival is a legendary celebration of music, featuring some of the biggest names in music, with this year’s lineup featuring the Eagles, Stevie Nicks, Rod Stewart, Kings of Leon, Lorde, Tyler Childers and Earth, Wind and Fire, just to name a few.
The festival also puts the spotlight on local legends in the genres of jazz, blues, gospel, rock, R&B and Zydeco. This event is a great way for attendees to experience the rich musical heritage of New Orleans.
This year, the festival takes place on two separate weekends, from April 23 until May 3. In addition to music, there will also be authentic Louisiana cuisine, artisan crafts and cultural displays.
These are the 10 best music festivals in the U.S. according to USA Today:
- Musikfest (Bethlehem, Pennsylvania)
- Mile 0 Fest (Key West, Florida)
- Joshua Tree Music Festival (Joshua Tree, California)
- Festival Napa Valley (Napa, California)
- Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion (Bristol, Tennessee and Bristol, Virginia)
- Summerfest (Milwaukee, Wisconsin)
- New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (New Orleans, Louisiana)
- Waterfront Blues Festival (Portland, Oregon)
- Lollapalooza (Chicago, Illinois)
- Ohana Festival (Dana Point, California)
Beignet Fest in New Orleans among best specialty food festivals according to USA Today’s 10Best
Beignet Fest in New Orleans was named the eighth best specialty food festival by USA Today’s 10Best Reader’s Choice Awards.
This festival celebrates the food culture of New Orleans, especially beignets. Along with traditional beignets covered in a delicious heaping of powdered sugar, attendees can try specialty beignets stuffed with crawfish, gumbo and candied sweet potatoes.
This year, the festival will take place on Nov. 7 from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. at the New Orleans City Park Festival Grounds.
Here are the 10 best specialty food festivals according to USA Today:
- Delta Hot Tamale Festival (Greenville, Mississippi)
- Maine Whoopie Pie Festival (Dover-Foxcroft, Maine)
- Picklesburgh (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
- Cheese Curd Festival (Ellsworth, Wisconsin)
- National Buffalo Wing Festival (Buffalo, New York)
- National Shrimp Festival (Gulf Shores, Alabama)
- Oregon Chocolate Festival (Ashland, Oregon)
- Beignet Fest (New Orleans, Louisiana)
- Kauai Poke Fest (Koloa, Hawaii)
- Drinks With Benefits (New York City, New York)
Presley Bo Tyler is a reporter for the Louisiana Deep South Connect Team for USA Today. Find her on X @PresleyTyler02 and email at PTyler@Gannett.com
Massive alligator causes chaos, attempts to avoid capture
Officers wrangled and released an alligator after it was spotted near a home in Livingston Parish, Louisiana.
Louisiana may expand its wild alligator harvesting opportunities to recreational hunters if the Legislature passes a bill that secured unanimous approval in a committee hearing March 11.
Franklin state Sen. Robert Allain’s Senate Bill 244 would authorize the Louisiana Wildlife Commission to create a recreational season that would be open to 5,000 hunters annually, each with a two-gator limit.
The state already has a commercial hunting season for alligators, which is chronicled in the popular “Swamp People” TV reality series.
“We think the time is right,” Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Secretary Tyler Bosworth testified during the Senate Natural Resources Committee hearing. “We want to provide a recreational opportunity for the common folk of Louisiana.”
Louisiana’s alligator population has exploded in the past 50 years from fewer than 100,000 to more than 3 million today. Of those, about 2 million are wild with another 1 million farmed.
That’s at least twice the population in Florida, the state with the second most number of alligators.
And their Louisiana numbers have grown throughout the state where they can be commonly spotted from Lake Martin in Breaux Bridge to Caddo and Cross lakes in Shreveport to Caldwell Parish in northeastern Louisiana.
“This is a conservation success story on the highest level,” LDWF general counsel Garrett Cole said during the hearing. “This would create a true recreational opportunity outside our commercial season.”
Garrett said hunters would compete for hunting tags through a lottery will statewide opportunities. Recreational hunters would be limited to hook and line harvesting from land. No gators could be taken by boat as commercial hunters are allowed to do.
If approved, the first season could take place beginning Oct. 1.
Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1.
Responsible Anglers United, LDWF release bass into Lake Bouef
Responsible Anglers United team up with Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to release more than 3,000 Florida bass into Lake Bouef on Oct. 17.
While Louisiana’s largest lake, the Toledo Bend Reservoir, spans 1,200 miles of shoreline, the state’s deepest lake only spans 1,125 acres.
Lake Peigneur is the deepest lake in Louisiana, with a depth measuring approximately 200 feet.
Lake Peigneur is a brackish lake, meaning it contains saltwater but has less salinity than seawater, located in New Iberia Parish in South Louisiana.
How did Lake Peigneur become the deepest lake in Louisiana?
Lake Peigneur was not always considered the deepest lake in Louisiana, as it was only a 10-foot-deep freshwater lake 40 years ago.
On Nov. 20, 1980, an oil rig crew was attempting to free a 14-inch drill bit when they heard popping noises and the rig began to tilt. Shortly after the crew abandoned the rig and headed for shore, the crew watched the 150-foot oil rig disappear into the 10-foot-deep lake.
Soon, a whirlpool formed in place of the oil rig. The whirlpool grew rapidly until it was able to suck up nearby boats, barges, trees, a house and half an island.
At the same location of the oil drilling site, there was also a salt mine, and when the whirlpool formed after the oil rig collapsed, the mine began to fill with water. As the whirlpool grew, water was able to enter the mine at such a force that it caused a geyser to spew out of the mine’s opening for hours until the lake was drained.
After the lake was emptied, the Delcambre Canal began to flow backward, marking the only time in history that the Gulf of Mexico flowed into the continental U.S. This backflow continued until the entire mine and lake were filled with water, except now the lake was filled with saltwater, according to an article published on Louisiana Tech Digital Commons.
Can you swim in Lake Peigneur?
Before the oil rig and salt mine accident, Lake Peigneur was a popular spot for fishing and recreational activities. However, since the lake is almost entirely surrounded by private property, visitors will have to enter the nearby Rip Van Winkle Gardens in order to get a closer look, according to Atlas Obscura.
While there are no reports indicating the lake is unsafe, the lake is not exactly developed for public access. However, there are things to do around Lake Peigneur, like visiting Rip Van Winkle Gardens on Jefferson Island, or visiting Avery Island to tour the Tabasco Factory.
Presley Bo Tyler is a reporter for the Louisiana Deep South Connect Team for USA Today. Find her on X @PresleyTyler02 and email at PTyler@Gannett.com
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