The natural gas and oil industry is critical to Louisiana’s post-pandemic recovery

(The following statement is from the American Petroleum Institute’s Gulf Coast region director, Gifford Briggs. For the full “Energy Builds America” report, visit https://www.api.org/news-policy-and-issues/american-energy/energy-builds-america-jobs-economy-environment-all-50-states.) “This analysis underscores the importance of the natural-gas- and oil-industry, for Louisiana’s post-pandemic economic recovery. Pre-pandemic, the industry supported a total of 346-thousand Louisiana jobs; that’s almost 16-percent of the state’s overall employment. And, it means [that] Louisiana ranks among the top states, for total economic contributions by the industry. Thousands of Louisiana workers rely on the industry for wages; in fact, the natural-gas- and oil-industry contributed over 20-percent of the state’s total labor-income, in 2019. “It’s clear [that] the natural-gas- and oil-industry is a critical part of Louisiana’s economic and fiscal future—offering support for jobs, tax-revenue, and local economies. This outlook depends on policies that support—rather than hinder—American energy. That’s why we’ll continue to advocate for the responsible development of our abundant energy-resources—just as we’ve safely done for years. Louisiana is stronger when America is leading the world, in energy-production.”