ENERGY: Urges and requests the state, its agencies, and the legislature to repudiate the Louisiana Climate Action Plan of 2022

HLS 26RS-580 ORIGINAL
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 59
BY REPRESENTATIVE OWEN
ENERGY: Urges and requests the state, its agencies, and the legislature to repudiate the
Louisiana Climate Action Plan of 2022
1 A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
2 To urge and request the state, agencies, and the Legislature of Louisiana to repudiate the
3 Louisiana Climate Action Plan, including the resulting Priority Climate Action Plan,
4 developed by the Climate Initiatives Task Force.
5 WHEREAS, in August of 2020 Governor Jon Bel Edwards issued an executive order
6 to create a Climate Initiatives Task Force whom he charged with developing a statewide
7 comprehensive climate action plan as a framework for future policy initiatives; and
8 WHEREAS, the Louisiana Climate Action Plan, submitted in February of 2022 by
9 the Climate Initiatives Task Force pursuant to Executive Order JBE 2020-18, promoted a
10 net-zero greenhouse gas emissions goal by 2050, which aligned with international agendas
11 like the Paris Climate Agreement and imposed burdensome regulations that would
12 undermine Louisiana's energy independence and economic strengths; and
13 WHEREAS, neither chamber of the Legislature of Louisiana conducted a formal
14 review or oversight hearing on the plan or its implications; and
15 WHEREAS, the state of Louisiana, through the Climate Initiatives Task Force,
16 adopted the Louisiana Climate Action Plan with the stated goal of reducing greenhouse gas
17 emissions and transitioning the state's economy toward lower-carbon energy sources; and
18 WHEREAS, the Priority Climate Action Plan selected identified priorities of the
19 Climate Action Plan which were submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency in 2023;
20 and
Page 1 of 3
HLS 26RS-580 ORIGINAL
HCR NO. 59
1 WHEREAS, those identified priorities included broadening the use of alternative
2 energy sources as well as methane reduction and other industrial defossilization initiatives
3 that would expand state and federal intervention into the private sectors, prioritize social
4 governance policies in place of sound economic frameworks, and subordinate Louisiana's
5 interests to global climate mandates; and
6 WHEREAS, in 2024 and 2025 new administrations were sworn in both in the state
7 of Louisiana and in the United States federal government that shifted policy initiatives
8 toward the principles of limited government, free markets, and individual liberty rather than
9 the policies of the preceding administrations that led to the Climate Action Plan; and
10 WHEREAS, the plan was antithetical to core ideals of state sovereignty as it called
11 for federal funding, regulations, and partnerships creating dependency on Washington, D.C.,
12 rather than asserting the right of Louisiana to manage its own resources without external
13 interference; and
14 WHEREAS, the plan disregarded private property rights through advocating land use
15 planning, onerous wetland management, initiatives prioritizing certain communities over
16 others in allocation of resources, and regulatory expansions which include imposition of top-
17 down controls on private operations potentially infringing on property rights through
18 monitoring and compliance without adequate protections for land owners; and
19 WHEREAS, Louisiana's economy is deeply rooted in the energy, petrochemical,
20 manufacturing, agriculture, and transportation sectors, which provide substantial
21 employment, tax revenue, and economic stability to the citizens of this state; and
22 WHEREAS, the plan included promotion of so-called renewable energy transition
23 and electric vehicle credits and other incentives subsidizing "green" energy technologies
24 over the abundant fossil fuel resources and infrastructure that are so important to Louisiana's
25 economy and forcing market distortions against free enterprise; and
26 WHEREAS, the plan emphasized dubious federal tax credits which would outsource
27 emissions accountability to Washington, D.C. and burden taxpayers with costs for unproven
28 net-zero schemes, undermining the fiduciary responsibilities of the legislature in fiscal
29 matters; and
Page 2 of 3
HLS 26RS-580 ORIGINAL
HCR NO. 59
1 WHEREAS, embracing America-first and Louisiana-first policies focused on
2 unleashing domestic oil and gas production, protecting private property from regulatory
3 overreach, reducing dependence on the federal government, and promoting free-market
4 innovation will better serve the state's economy, workers, and citizens.
5 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the state, agencies, and the Legislature of
6 Louisiana repudiate the Louisiana Climate Action Plan, including the resulting Priority
7 Climate Action Plan, developed by the Climate Initiatives Task Force and declare it non-
8 binding on current or future state legislation, policies, programs, or agencies.
9 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that any future climate or environmental initiatives
10 should be developed with robust input from industry stakeholders, local communities, and
11 the public, ensuring that such policies are economically beneficial to the state and
12 technologically feasible.
13 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the legislature should assert itself and demand
14 to exercise its oversight authority and conduct hearings when matters of potential policy and
15 state action are considered and adopted into policy through executive action; and
16 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the legislature commits to advancing America-
17 first and Louisiana-first policies that prioritize energy independence, property rights, state
18 sovereignty, and free-market principles over international climate mandates.
19 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
20 governor of Louisiana, the president of the Senate, the speaker of the House of
21 Representatives, and the secretary or commissioner of all state agencies and departments.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HCR 59 Original 2026 Regular Session Owen
Urges the state, agencies, and legislature of La. to repudiate the La. Climate Action Plan,
including the resulting Priority Climate Action Plan, developed by the Climate Initiatives
Task Force and declare it non-binding on current or future state legislation, policies,
programs, or agencies.
Page 3 of 3