SLS 18RS-924 ORIGINAL
2018 Regular Session
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 24
BY SENATORS BARROW AND GATTI
LEGIS POWERS/FUNCTIONS. Designates March 19, 2018, as ExxonMobil Day at the
State Capitol and to commend ExxonMobil for its long-term contributions to the economy
of the state of Louisiana.
1 A RESOLUTION
2 To designate Monday, March 19, 2018, as ExxonMobil Day at the State Capitol and to
3 commend ExxonMobil for its long-term contributions to the economy of the state.
4 WHEREAS, for the past one hundred years the operations of ExxonMobil in the state
5 of Louisiana have contributed greatly to the economy of the state and to the prosperity of its
6 citizens; and
7 WHEREAS, Standard Oil of Louisiana began its refinery operations on two hundred
8 twenty-five acres of farmland in North Baton Rouge with seven hundred workers; and
9 WHEREAS, Standard Oil through its many acquisitions became ExxonMobil in 1999
10 and today has grown into a family of companies located throughout the state that began with
11 the Baton Rouge Refinery and expanded to numerous world-class facilities that include plant
12 sites for Baton Rouge Chemical, Baton Rouge Polyolefins, Baton Rouge Plastics, Port Allen
13 Lubricants, ExxonMobil Production Company, XTO Energy Company, and ExxonMobil
14 Pipeline Company; and
15 WHEREAS, as one of the largest private employers in the state, the workforce for
16 ExxonMobil includes more than six thousand employees and contractors in the Baton Rouge
17 area alone and locations in nearly every corner of Louisiana, from the Haynesville Shale
18 installation to the Baton Rouge chemical plants and deep water drilling rigs in the Gulf of
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SLS 18RS-924 ORIGINAL
1 Mexico; and
2 WHEREAS, the Baton Rouge Refinery is the largest manufacturing employer in the
3 state of Louisiana, the fourth largest refinery in the United States, and the twelfth largest
4 refinery in the world; and
5 WHEREAS, the Baton Rouge Chemical Plant is the second largest manufacturing
6 employer in the state; and
7 WHEREAS, on July 31, 1968, the ExxonMobil Baton Rouge Plastics Plant began
8 operations and celebrates its fiftieth anniversary in 2018; its output has grown from an initial
9 processing capacity of one hundred eighty million pounds annually to more than one billion
10 pounds of low density polyethylene and two hundred million pounds of ethylene elastomer
11 products annually; and
12 WHEREAS, the Baton Rouge Plastics Plant has been recognized on numerous
13 occasions for its commitment to safe, reliable operations and was named "Best in Louisiana"
14 for its 2017 safety performance record by the Louisiana Chemical Association; the plant
15 produces end products such as adhesives, automotive components, and food-safe plastic
16 wraps; and
17 WHEREAS, the XTO Energy Cotton Valley Gas Plant celebrates its seventy-fifth
18 anniversary and remains an integral part of the business community in the parishes of
19 Webster and Claiborne and the Ark-La-Tex region; the facility has evolved into a natural gas
20 processing complex with a cumulative production rate of more than three trillion cubic feet
21 of natural gas and forty million barrels of condensate and light oil petroleum products; and
22 WHEREAS, XTO Energy is an active community service partner that contributes to
23 local organizations such as the fire departments in both Claiborne Parish and Webster Parish,
24 the Cotton Valley Police Department, and the Claiborne Parish 4-H Club; and
25 WHEREAS, during the past century, ExxonMobil engineers, scientists, skilled
26 workers, and support staff have played a vital role in shaping the petrochemical industry
27 with cutting edge research, new innovations, and applied technologies to address the energy
28 needs of a growing global economy; and
29 WHEREAS, these breakthroughs created the first catalytic cracking technology, the
30 development of alkylation processes for the production of high octane aviation fuel, as well
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SLS 18RS-924 ORIGINAL
1 as the development of synthetic butyl rubber during World War II; this innovation led to the
2 moniker, the "Cradle of Synthetic Rubber", for the Baton Rouge operations; and
3 WHEREAS, the Louisiana operations of ExxonMobil pay over one hundred million
4 dollars in state and local taxes each year including thirty-three million dollars in ad valorem
5 taxes for East Baton Rouge Parish alone, and ExxonMobil has paid more than one billion
6 dollars in state and local tax revenues over the past ten years; and
7 WHEREAS, ExxonMobil employees and retirees take an active role in the
8 betterment of their communities by providing thousands of volunteer hours annually to
9 nonprofit organizations as well as providing financial assistance through charitable donations
10 and matching grants of nearly four million dollars each year to civic, community, and
11 educational organizations; and
12 WHEREAS, ExxonMobil recognizes that workable solutions to twenty-first century
13 problems will require a future workforce with a strong foundation of math and science
14 education; contributions to STEM curricula in schools reflect that commitment; and
15 WHEREAS, a thirteen million dollar funding grant was presented to the National
16 Math and Science Initiative for Louisiana schools in support of educational programs such
17 as Advanced Placement Training, STEM Learning Network, and Pathways to STEM
18 Education; and
19 WHEREAS, ExxonMobil has remained dedicated to stewardship of the environment
20 and has been recognized for its efforts with receipt of awards for proactive leadership in
21 environmental issues; and
22 WHEREAS, ExxonMobil is committed to the continuous improvement of workplace
23 safety and was recognized by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for
24 voluntary protection programs and exceptional safety performance ratings; and
25 WHEREAS, after the first one hundred years, ExxonMobil continues to make
26 substantial long-term investments in the future of the state of Louisiana; and
27 WHEREAS, it is with great pride that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
28 recognizes ExxonMobil and its Louisiana facilities for its immense contributions to the
29 economic future of this state and the overall vitality of the United States.
30 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
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SLS 18RS-924 ORIGINAL
1 does hereby commend ExxonMobil for more than a century of partnership and progress in
2 Louisiana and does hereby recognize Monday, March 19, 2018, as ExxonMobil Day at the
3 Louisiana State Capitol.
4 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana does
5 hereby commend and congratulate the employees and retirees of ExxonMobil for their
6 pursuit of excellence in safety, corporate responsibility, environmental stewardship, local
7 education, and community service.
8 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to
9 Jeff Copeskey, Southern Region of ExxonMobil Corporation, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Suzi Montague
DIGEST
SR 24 Original 2018 Regular Session Barrow
Designates Monday, March 19, 2018, as ExxonMobil Day at the State Capitol.
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