Louisiana and the Clean Power Plan
"We are at a time in the history of our country and our world where we must no longer talk about the
impact of climate change, but take concrete actions to reduce greenhouse emissions to help the health
and the economy of our state, nation and world" - Marylee Orr, executive director of the Louisiana
Environmental Action Networki
National Impact
 According to US EPA, emissions of CO2 from combustion of fossil fuels for electric
power generation in Louisiana amounted to 42.96 Million Metric Tons in 2012.ii
o This places Louisiana in the top third of states for carbon emissions from the
electric power sector.iii

A 2012 study by Munich Re shows that North America has been most affected by
weather-related extreme events in recent decades.iv
o Hurricane Katrina in 2005 was the costliest event ever recorded in US history.v
o Katrina was also the deadliest single storm event, claiming 1,322 lives.vi
Health Concerns
 Currently, according to the American Lung Association (ALA), out of the 4.6 million
Louisiana residents, 1.4 million are categorized as groups at-risk for developing serious
health conditions related to air pollutionvii
o Health conditions include both pediatric and adult Asthma, Chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease (COPD), and Cardiovascular (CV) disease, and diabetes,
among others, leading to an inherent potential for fatalityviii

East Baton Rouge County residents were exposed to 9 day(s) above the National
Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for daily 8-hour maximum ozone
concentration in 2010,ix earning this county a failing grade (F) for air quality from the
ALAx
o In addition to East Baton Rouge Parish, Ascension, Iberville, Livingston and West
Baton Rouge Parishes are also currently categorized into Marginal NonAttainment for ground-level Ozone NAAQSxi
o St. Bernard Parish county rests in Non-Attainment for sulfur dioxide NAAQS (a
co-pollutant of ozone)xii

There are 48 streams and lakes in Louisiana that have mercury in fish health advisories. xiii
o Coal from power plants is the major source of mercury emissions to the air in
Louisianaxiv
o Consumption of mercury contaminated fish can lead to cognitive impairment in
newborns and senior citizens.xv
Economic Benefits
 Louisiana Clean Economy Jobs (2010): 28,600+xvi
 Clean economy jobs pay 12.6% more than the average of all jobs in the statexvii
o Average Annual Wage of Clean Economy Jobs ($2009): $36,4931xviii

Louisiana provides a corporate tax credit for the installation of wind and solar
technologiesxix
o In some regions, the economic impact of potentially higher electricity prices
would be much smaller than that of changes in fuel productionxx The Texas
census region, which also includes Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana, would
see an $18 billion increase in economic activity from gas production, compared to
$1 billion in lossesxxi

“The city [of New Orleans] and its people have embraced solar energy, and the jobs,
savings, and economic development that result. New Orleans proper has inspired dozens
of solar energy companies and their support industries to create over a thousand jobs for
the region, resulting in millions in immediate and long-term value for the community.” Jeff Cantin, director of the Gulf States Renewable Energy Industries Associationxxii
Utility Costs & Reliability
 Louisiana has spent more than 97% of the nearly $51 million in ARRA funds it received
to weatherize 7,700 homes. This has resulted in annual energy savings of more than 223
billion British thermal units (Btu) and has averted nearly 20,000 metric tons of carbon
pollution to datexxiii
o These projects have enabled income-eligible families to save hundreds of dollars
per year on heating and cooling bills by improving their homes’ energy
efficiency, as well as the health and safety of home environmentsxxiv

Livingston Parish recent installation of a geothermal heating and cooling system at the
Town Hall in the Village of French Settlement is expected to reduce village heating and
air conditioning costs by two-thirds, saving an average of $250 per month during the
unit’s 30-year lifespan.xxv

The NOLA Wise program in New Orleans aims to achieve an average annual energy
savings of 15% for its clients.
o In its first 10 months, more than 40 buildings were retrofitted through the
program, with some households achieving up to 30% monthly energy cost
savings.

“From cleaner power, to lower bills and good jobs right here in Louisiana, New Orleans
is proud to be one of America’s leaders in solar energy.”- New Orleans City
Councilwoman, Susan Guidryxxvi
Energy Potential & Renewables Success
 New Orleans has more solar panels than most major American cities, ranking 6th per
capita for solar capacity among dozens of metropolitan areas.xxvii
o New Orleans now has over 3% of its residents with solar energy systems, and a
total of 25MW of solar installed, primarily on residential properties, but also on
schools, institutions and businessesxxviii

Because Louisiana’s winters are milder than our neighbors in the Northern United States,
in most areas of Louisiana, particularly South of Interstate 10/12, a solar collector system
can be installed for much less than it can be installed for in most Northern parts of the
countryxxix
o Without the need for expensive freeze protection systems, the cost for installing a
solar collector water heater can have dramatic pay back.xxx

Louisiana has a long history of being a leader in energy production and technology. As
oil and gas production in the state continue to decline, offshore wind energy could help
Louisiana maintain its leadership role in the energy industry.xxxi

ExxonMobil, the country’s second largest oil refiner, just completed a sizeable
reinvestment in its Baton Rouge refinery that has allowed it to increase its clean fuel
production by 6 million gallons each dayxxxii

Of the more than $156 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
(ARRA) funds allocated to the State of Louisiana from EERE specifically for deployment
projects, more than 95% has been spent as of January 2013 through the Energy
Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program, State Energy Program, and
Weatherization Assistance Program.xxxiii
o To see a full list of Louisiana’s existing successful clean energy projects, as
invested in by ARRA and EERE, please visit
http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/states/pdfs/57717.pdf
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Dr. Jalonne White-Newsome, Director of Policy
WE ACT for Environmental Justice
www.weact.org
Copyright © 2015, WE ACT for Environmental Justice
i
http://www.nola.com/business/index.ssf/2014/06/epa_carbon_rule_draws_mixed_re.html
http://lasierraclub.org/node/184
iii
Ibid
iv
http://www.munichre.com/en/media-relations/publications/press-releases/2012/2012-10-17-pressrelease/index.html
v
Ibid
vi
Ibid
vii
http://www.stateoftheair.org/2015/states/louisiana/
viii
Ibid
ix
http://ephtracking.cdc.gov/InfoByLocation/
x
http://www.stateoftheair.org/2015/states/louisiana/
xi
http://www.deq.louisiana.gov/portal/tabid/112/default.aspx
xii
Ibid
xiii
http://lasierraclub.org/node/184
xiv
Ibid
xv
Ibid
xvi
http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/states/pdfs/57717.pdf
xvii
Ibid
xviii
Ibid
xix
Ibid
xx
http://www.powermag.com/short-and-long-term-economic-impact-of-the-clean-power-plan-on-texas-debated/
xxi
Ibid
xxii
Ibid
xxiii
http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/states/pdfs/57717.pdf
xxiv
Ibid
xxv
Ibid
xxvi
Ibid
xxvii
http://www.gsreia.org/site/wp-content/uploads/EA-NOLA-Solar-Sweet-Sixteen-032615.pdf
xxviii
Ibid
xxix
http://dnr.louisiana.gov/assets/docs/energy/altfuel/SolarElectricandSolarWaterHeaters.pdf
xxx
Ibid
xxxi
http://dnr.louisiana.gov/assets/docs/energy/newsletters/2001_2005/2004-12_topic.pdf
ii
xxxii
https://business.lsu.edu/Economic-Development/Green%20Jobs%20Project/NAICS%20324%20%20Manufacturing,%20Petro%20Chemical.pdf
xxxiii
http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/states/pdfs/57717.pdf