Jindal says no to double-down on drilling ban

A different kind of drilling went on at Gulf Island Fabrication in Houma last week with Gov. Bobby Jindal and representatives from various businesses affected by the moratorium – a drilling of the message that Louisianans want to get back to work.

“The first time I came right here as governor was to celebrate a great economic expansion not only for this company but for the state of Louisiana,” Gov. Jindal said Thursday. “It pains me that instead of coming to celebrate economic expansion and new opportunities for Louisiana families to stay here as they pursue their dreams, today we are fighting for economic survival.”

Some workers’ jobs have not survived, and the jobs that have survived are walking a thin financial tight rope that is about to break.

According to Jindal, the six-month deepwater drilling moratorium is estimated to eliminate 20,000 jobs and cost Louisiana between $65 to 135 million in lost wages each month.

Anthony Thibodeaux, a 48-year-old new to the oil industry characterized himself as “dead man walking.”

“I lost my last job, so I know what these guys are going through. This doesn’t just affect Louisiana, I’m from Atlanta,” he said. “This can affect the United States.”

Dwayne Rebstock, CEO of Allport Services out of Port Fourchon, shares a similar story.

“Mine being a brand new business was hard-impacted,” he said. “Our major client was one of the drilling companies that was affected on May 28 when the drilling ban was announced. Within hours of the drilling ban being announced this client packed up and moved out of our facility, leaving me and all 30 of my workers with no work in our yard.”

Many local government officials were in attendance at the rally to give a voice back to the hard-working people of Louisiana, and to send President Barack Obama a message.

“As I look out in the crowd and see so many people I’ve known my whole life, worked with, played with and went to school with, it breaks my heart to face the battle on two fronts, one we can’t control and one we can,” said state Sen. Norby Chabert.

Terrebonne Parish believes it can still operate its drilling industry safely, for the sake of thousands of families that won’t have the money to pay their monthly bills.

“Mr. President, the moratorium that you’re imposing would cause and economic disaster here in Terrebonne,” said Terrebonne Parish President Michel Claudet. “We know how to operate safely, we can operate safely, don’t punish an entire industry for the mistakes of one company. We are already suffering because of the seafood industry, don’t kick us when we’re down – you campaigned on change that we can believe in, we cannot believe in what you’re proposing.”

Federal court could not believe in the proposed moratorium, either. District Judge Martin Feldman, who granted an injunction to lift the moratorium on June 21.

“The court is persuaded that it is only a matter of time before more business and jobs and livelihoods will be lost. The defendants trivialize such losses by characterizing them as merely a small percentage of the drilling rigs affected, but it does not follow that this will some how reduce the convincing harm suffered,” Feldman said in the ruling.

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar made an effort to reinstate a drilling ban just one day after Feldman shut down the original.

“To bring another moratorium is illegal, the proper step in government is to appeal it, but they don’t want to appeal it because the appeals would take more than six months,” said Terrebonne Parish Vice-Councilman Clayton Voisin.

Jindal also urged those who have not yet done so, to visit www.GEST.La.gov to sign the petition against the moratorium.

“I was told never to bite the hand that feeds you,” said Lori Davis, owner of Rig Chem. “Well the government is biting and the pain is far-reaching. Let’s join together and stop the pain now.”

Gov. Bobby Jindal greets local workers at Gulf Island Fabrication in Houma on Thursday before speaking at the Economic Survival Rally. * Photo by JENNA FARMER