“Michael Bloomberg’s $85 million campaign against the petrochemical industry in the United States, and specifically in Louisiana, demonstrates how out of touch he and his friends are with reality. The truth is, the petrochemical industry is, and will continue to be, vital to ensure a safe and effective transition to a lower carbon, sustainable future.
Obstructing industrial progress when it’s exactly what’s needed to achieve our transition to a lower carbon, sustainable future is a backwards perspective that puts us far behind our international counterparts.
From the batteries for electric cars to the materials needed to produce solar panels and wind turbines, products made by Louisiana’s petrochemical manufacturers are utilized every day to improve efficiencies and reduce emissions. Without Louisiana’s chemical industry, everyday items like cell phones, laptops and medical equipment would simply not exist.
Furthermore, Louisiana’s chemical industry is leading the way in reducing our own emissions while paving the way for everyone else to follow suit. In the last 30 years, chemical facilities operating in the state have cut air emissions by 75 percent through investments in environmental innovations and technology. Our industry has a long history of working cooperatively with state and federal regulators to support the health and safety of the communities in which we operate.
Time and again, the data shows that the idea of “Cancer Alley” is a myth. According to the best information available, Louisiana’s Tumor Registry, cancer rates in the industrial corridor are no higher, and in some cases lower, than the state average. Louisiana as a whole has serious health challenges that we can only address by working together, not by deceiving the public about the root causes.
Instead of funneling tens of millions of dollars into splashy campaigns and needless legal tactics, Bloomberg’s wealth would be better spent in helping to advance technology and science to expedite progress and improve health outcomes.” - Greg Bowser, President and CEO, Louisiana Chemical Association