Republicans in Louisiana are blocking funding for flood protection in New Orleans because of the city's opposition to criminalizing abortion. The Louisiana State Bond Commission voted last week to deny a line of credit meant to help New Orleans build infrastructure for drainage pumps that are a crucial part of the city's plans to adapt to climate change. The commission denied the line of credit twice, the first time while the city was under a flood watch. The vote came at the request of Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry, who called New Orleans's resistance to the state-wide abortion bans "an open defiance of the will of the people of Louisiana."
The New Orleans City Council passed a resolution prohibiting the city from using municipal funds to punish people who receive abortions or doctors who provide care. Louisiana is one of 13 states that had policies in place that would go into effect if the Supreme Court decided against abortion. There are no exceptions for rape or incest and punishments for abortion providers that can include prison sentences of up to 10 years, with hard labor, and/or fines of up to $10,000 are included in one of the bans.
In a letter sent to the Bond Commission in July, Landry asked the Commission to defer any applications from New Orleans for any types of projects, writing that "a parish or municipalities should not benefit from the hard-working taxpayers of this State while ignoring laws validly enacted by the people through their The New Orleans officials were asked if they had considered withdrawing the resolution. He said that you can't solemnly swear to uphold the laws on one hand and then not do so on the other. The Bond Commission ordered Louisiana city officials to attend the September meeting to discuss the resolution.
The city of New Orleans is prone to flooding. The bond commission denied the credit line for the project, which would have cost $39 million to build a new power plant and power pumps. Some of the pumps are powered by older systems that were installed in the 1910s.
Paul Rainwater, a lobbyist with the city's Sewerage and Water Board, said that the flooding that used to be caused by a tropical storm or a Hurricane is now only caused by 3 to 4 inches of rain in a single day. In some parts of the city, there could be 2 to 3 feet of water if a storm comes through. Rainwater told the Commission in Thursday's hearing that the project was pro-life, catholic and republican.
He has been an outspoken opponent of federal and state climate policies and a climate science denier. The Supreme Court turned down a challenge to the use of the social cost of carbon by a group of Republican attorneys general. He has said that the scientific consensus on climate change is a hoax and that sea levels have not risen at all. He has shared misinformation on the social networking site. Over the course of his political career, the oil and gas industry has given more than $850,000 to him.
Jimmy Harris, a Democrat who represents New Orleans, told E&E that the power station is pro-life.
He said that the project would help them to where they don't need to drown. Don't tell me you love me, but you don't want me to drown. I would rather not hear that from anyone.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
