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Regular Session, 2010 ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 114
BY SENATORS B. GAUTREAUX, N. GAUTREAUX, CHABERT, HEBERT AND
PETERSON
A RESOLUTION
To urge and request all executive branch agencies of the state of Louisiana and of the United
States and their associated contractors and subcontractors to give priority of
opportunities to participate in the rehabilitation effort to those persons who are
directly affected by the catastrophic oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and to encourage
BP and its contractors and subcontractors to do the same.
WHEREAS, let the nation heed the warnings of the past, that a way of life which is
lost oftentimes cannot be regained; and it is the solemn duty of a state's government to
preserve the distinct history and culture of her people; and
WHEREAS, conservation of coastal ecology is key to south Louisiana's cultural
survival; a unique culture is at stake, on the brink of extinction, and the Gulf way of life in
Louisiana could disappear under a deadly sheen of fugitive oil; and
WHEREAS, the magnitude of the BP oil spill in the Gulf region south of the state
of Louisiana far outstrips the dimensions of the Exxon-Valdez spill, necessitating the closure
of vast stretches of Louisiana's wetlands, seafood hatcheries, and wildlife habitats; and
WHEREAS, fishing grounds along Louisiana's coastline and barrier islands are now
closed to trapping and fishing, leaving many citizens without a means to make a living; and
WHEREAS, in the last five years, large portions of these wetlands have been
significantly affected by hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Gustav, and Ike, and many residents
remain under significant financial burdens to repay loans used to rebuild their lives; and
WHEREAS, the fiscal effects of these storms continue to hamper the livelihood of
the residents of coastal parishes, a burden now compounded by the loss of economic
opportunity caused by the BP oil spill for those whose income is dependent on commercial SR NO. 114 ENROLLED
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fishing, boat charters, marina operations, or seafood supply, or is linked to the fishing
industries and to ecotourism along the south Louisiana coast; and
WHEREAS, the catastrophic effects of the oil spill and its economic and
environmental ramifications continue to rage out of control a mere forty miles from
Louisiana's most fragile and fertile estuaries; and
WHEREAS, the efforts of BP to stem the flow of oil since the event of April 20,
2010, have been unsuccessful, and the company has failed to address the critical need to first
use Louisiana technologies, providers, and services in a meaningful, timely fashion; and
WHEREAS, the people of south Louisiana are well-known for their fortitude and
tenacity, with an unquenchable desire to help their neighbors and themselves in times of
peril, through trials both great and small; and
WHEREAS, the Louisiana Workforce Commission has registered more than ten
thousand Louisianians, indicating that these citizens are ready to be trained and to begin
remediation efforts to reclaim our coast and wetlands for business and recreational purposes;
and
WHEREAS, the people of south Louisiana are fabled "outside-the-box" thinkers,
whose legendary ingenuity has been a part of offshore drilling since the industry's inception;
and
WHEREAS, a variety of remedies, both possible and improbable, have been
forthcoming from all manner of innovative sources; however, there is no readily-available
collection point where these ideas may be communicated, assembled, examined, and
evaluated for their implementation; and
WHEREAS, it is with the utmost urgency that executive branch agencies must
collaborate to streamline the collection process by creating a highly visible Internet site for
the compilation of these bold notions that may save Louisiana's precious wetlands from the
current environmental emergency; and
WHEREAS, it is fitting that these Louisianians, who have the most to lose and who
have formally documented their desire to participate in the cleanup through the labor of their
bodies or the exertion of their minds, be given the first and best opportunity to be trained and
employed to carry out this important mission. SR NO. 114 ENROLLED
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THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
does hereby urge and request all executive branch agencies of Louisiana and of the United
States and their contractors and subcontractors to make it a priority to provide opportunities
to those persons who are directly affected by the catastrophic oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico
to participate in the rehabilitation of the Louisiana Gulf Coast, and to encourage BP and its
contractors and subcontractors to do the same.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to
Governor Bobby Jindal and President Barrack Obama.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE