NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – The oil and gas industry is a huge part of Louisiana’s economy, and state government is taking more steps to protect it.

With oil company executives and others looking on, Gov. Jeff Landry signed HB 804 into law. It creates the Louisiana Energy Protection Act.

“In signing that bill, basically says that, look, people can’t theorize the fact that climate change is manmade and then take that as a theory and hold those companies that are producing energy liable for that,” Landry told FOX 8 immediately after signing the bill.

The goal is to make it more difficult for groups or individuals to sue the industry.

“Absolutely, that’s absolutely what it is all about, closing the door to frivolous litigation,” Landry said.

The industry applauded the Legislature’s passage of the new law.

“The Energy Protection Act is important piece of legislation for this past session. It’s going to protect not only oil and gas companies but all businesses in Louisiana from lawsuits based on climate change,” said Tommy Faucheux, president of the Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association, or LMOGA.

He said the new law does not eliminate the possibility of all lawsuits.

“The industry is too important to be brought down by frivolous litigation, and this bill protects that. It doesn’t mean if there’s a legitimate claim that people won’t be able to bring them but they’re not going to be able to do it saying that climate change was impacted or created by the oil and gas industry or any other business that touches fossil fuels,” said Faucheux.

Environmentalists say greenhouse gas emissions trap heat and make the planet hotter.

And the EPA says the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions comes from human activities such as burning fossil fuels for electricity, heat and transportation.

Landry called the new law a big deal.

“We’ve seen a lot of what I call a public nuisance laws that are used to basically weaponize or used as a weapon against the oil and gas industry, and, look, we recognize that Louisiana wouldn’t be Louisiana without that industry,” he said.

The oil and gas industry fuels thousands of direct and indirect jobs in Louisiana.

“The Louisiana oil and gas industry is doing extremely well,” Faucheux said.

Landry also signed other bills to support the oil and gas industry.

“All of those bills are designed to continue to help the industry move along, and the state of Louisiana is open for business. We’ve been knocking down bureaucratic red tape and regulations and pulling back statutes that really impede the industry’s ability to move energy to market in an extremely timely manner,” said Landry.

Landry also presented Shell Oil with a commendation for its Mars platform in the Gulf. It reached a major milestone earlier this year, becoming the first offshore asset in the U.S. to produce 1 billion barrels of oil.

“The commendation basically is a tribute to the men and women who have helped us to reach the billion barrel mark, which again I think it’s important for everyone out there who’s listening and watching this is that no other company has produced a billion barrels in America,” said Landry.

The platform was damaged by Hurricane Katrina.

“Twenty years ago when Hurricane Katrina hit, it devastated Mars, brought her to her knees. We didn’t know how we were going to get her back online, but we did,” said
Colette Hirstius, president of Shell USA.

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The Louisiana Department of Health and biotechnology company Phenomune have launched a statewide initiative that will provide up to 250,000 Louisiana residents with free at-home test kits designed to offer personalized insights into their immune health.

The program, announced Thursday, allows participants to complete a brief taste-based test using four strips placed on the tongue and submit their responses through the Phenomune app. Within minutes, users receive confidential information about how their bodies may respond to upper respiratory illnesses such as the flu, COVID-19 and bronchitis, helping inform conversations with healthcare providers.

State officials say the initiative is the first of its kind and aims to promote preventive healthcare by giving residents greater awareness of their immune profiles while generating population-level health data to support public health planning and resource allocation.

Gov. Jeff Landry called the effort a “bold step” toward strengthening healthcare access, particularly in rural communities, while reducing strain on the healthcare system through earlier intervention and more informed decision-making.

The program is based on peer-reviewed research linking certain taste receptors to respiratory health and immune responses. According to Phenomune, the test requires no lab work or biological samples and provides results in just minutes.

Healthcare providers, hospitals, nursing homes, community clinics and federally qualified health centers are also encouraged to participate by ordering kits for patients and integrating the program into care settings.

“At Phenomune, our focus is translating peer-reviewed science into practical tools that anyone can easily use,” said Dr. Henry P. Barham, founder of Phenomune, in a statement. “This helps people better understand their own immune system so they can take a more proactive approach to their health—and, over time, build healthier communities.”

The initiative is open to Louisiana residents ages 13 and older, with parental guidance required for minors. Test kits can be requested online through Phenomune’s testing program.

Phillip May, president and CEO of Entergy Louisiana, speaks during a groundbreaking ceremony for Smalling Substation near Rayville, La., Friday, Jun 27, 2025. The substation will serve the Meta Richland Parish Data Center, which is now under construction.