In Louisiana, Economy Trumps Environment

The federal moratorium on exploratory drilling for oil in deep-sea waters is tantamount to an attack on Louisiana’s way of life, politicians and business leaders said Wednesday at an oil industry-sponsored rally held in Lafayette. The political event at the nearly packed Cajundome stadium demonstrated the influence of the oil industry over Louisiana, and the belief that the drilling moratorium could be more hurtful to the state’s economy than the risk of a second catastrophic oil rig explosion. “I think the risk to the local economy is greater than the risk to the environment right now,” said machinist Andy Fuquay, 27, dressed in dark blue coveralls.
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