Mitch Landrieu: “I wish to thank him for his leadership on the issue of energy policy for this Nation and thank him for the way he has…”

“I wish to thank him for his leadership on the issue of energy policy for this Nation and thank him for the way he has worked with me and Senator Breaux representing Louisiana, which is a producing State but also a State that is very interested in alternative energy sources, particularly from agricultural products, which we think holds a lot of promise. Many of our universities are engaged in alternative fuel developments, as well as environmental cleanup. I thank the Senator particularly for his willingness to put in this bill significant authorization for the first time for $450 million for the seven producing States, much of that production being off our coastline. Because of current law, which has been in place for many years, as the Senator knows, Louisiana and other coastal States have been shortchanged because of the impacts that affect our States. We will be able to use this money to help restore our wetlands which we are losing at an alarming rate. It will help us to provide the critical investments to protect our infrastructure-- our pipelines and other facilities--that not only helps Louisiana but supports the whole Nation.”