The Truth Beneath the Surface: How CCS Unmasked a Bipartisan Betrayal
Editorial: Renee’ Savant
For the past 16 years, while citizens of Louisiana have been pitted against each other—red versus blue, left versus right—a much quieter, more dangerous alliance has been unfolding. Behind closed doors, both Republican and Democratic leaders have worked together with unwavering unity on one issue: Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS). They’ve done it not out of environmental concern or public interest—but under the cover of innovation, economic development, and climate progress, all while hundreds of millions in 45Q tax credits flowed to private corporations.
We, the people, have been played.
From Baton Rouge to Washington, politicians on both sides have found common cause in CCS. They’ve passed laws, directed agencies, and signed off on sweetheart deals that turned public resources into private profit—all while the rest of us argued over party lines.
And while they profited, we remained in the dark.
But something has shifted.
When Air Products showed up at Lake Maurepas, the citizens of Livingston Parish woke up. And from there, a movement took root. Across the state, landowners, fishermen, veterans, pastors, teachers, and retirees began to ask questions. And when the answers didn’t come, they began to show up—at town halls, public hearings, and courthouses.
We began to find each other.
No longer are we divided by political colors. We are united by what really matters: protecting our land, our water, and our constitutional rights. We are united by the desire to reclaim the promise that public officials should serve the people—not corporate lobbyist.
Despite attempts by Governor Jeff Landry and others to dismiss us as “out-of-state radicals,” nothing could be further from the truth. We are homegrown. We are Cajuns, Creoles, conservatives, and progressives. We are Louisiana! And we’re done being silent.
The grassroots CCS resistance isn’t a fad—it’s a reckoning. And it has exposed something far more dangerous than a pipeline: a bipartisan machine that, for more than a decade, has traded away Louisiana’s future behind our backs.
But this moment offers something rare: clarity. We now know who is truly standing with the people and who is standing in line for a PAC check. And that clarity has forged something stronger than any political party—unity.
So let’s hold that line. Let’s stay united.
Because this fight is no longer about politics, it’s about people.
