The Biden Administration announces it will comply with a federal court ruling requiring it to restart oil and gas lease sales. Matt Doyle has the story.
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Matt Doyle reports the October 9th statewide election will be back to pre-COVID business as usual according to Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin…
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Fans will enter Tiger Stadium in a little over two weeks but with new COVID policies to make the experience as safe as possible. Brooke Thorington has more.
Cut 3 (32) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”
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The Department of the Interior is moving ahead with plans to hold an oil and gas lease sale for the Gulf of Mexico.
Louisiana Oil and Gas Association President Mike Moncla celebrated the news. He says he doesn’t know why the Biden Administration changed course, but it might be due to prices at the pump.
The Administration’s decision comes after the Department of Justice announced it would comply with a federal courts’ order requiring the resumption of oil and gas lease sales.
After taking office earlier this year the Administration banned new oil and gas lease sales on federal lands and waters as part of its climate change policy.
The Biden Administration previously stated that reducing domestic oil and gas production was key to limiting global warming. Moncla says that just leads to more production in other countries…
A recent IPCC report noted that if the world does not reach carbon neutrality by roughly 2050 that we will face irreversible and catastrophic levels of global warming.
Moncla says the lease sale ban reversal coupled with rising oil prices helps put the local industry back on track…
The sale notice reportedly is likely to come sometime in September.
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There’s a tropical wave that has a strong likelihood of development along with the possibility of impacting Louisiana. State Climatologist Barry Keim says forecasters are expecting it will develop into a tropical storm or depression when it moves into the Gulf of Mexico over the next few days.
It was this time a year ago when Louisianans were awaiting the arrival of Hurricane Laura that made landfall in southwest Louisiana on August 27th. Keim says it’s time once again for those of us in the Pelican State to be on notice.
Keim says while models have this system making landfall anywhere from the Florida panhandle to the Texas coastline early next week, Keim says those of us in the Bayou State should continue to check the forecast.
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The voting experience will be back to normal when Louisianans head to the polls for the fall election on October 9th.
Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin says the circumstances are completely different than they were last year and it’s time we get back to regular elections.
Ardoin says this will be the second election under “normal circumstances” the first was a special election for a State Senate seat back in July that was held in New Orleans.
Ardoin says this election will not feature the expanded early voting opportunities seen last year during the pandemic. Ardoin says that policy was costly and resulted in the loss of some elections commissioners.
The deadline to register to vote in this election is September 8th. Early voting runs from September 25th through October 2nd every day except Sundays from 8:30 AM to 6 PM.
Whether or not the statewide mask mandate is still in effect Ardoin says you will not be required to mask to cast a ballot.
Most voters will primarily be deciding on a slate of constitutional amendments related to tax reform. New Orleans residents will be deciding on parish-level elections.
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With the first home game at Tiger Stadium a little over two weeks away, LSU Athletic Director Scott Woodward is urging fans to prep ahead so they aren’t caught off guard with the new policies requiring those 12 and up to be either vaccinated or show proof of a negative PCR test 72 hours prior kickoff.
Masks will be required for ages five to 11 to enter Tiger Stadium and masks are highly encouraged for children younger than five. Woodward says they are trying to make the game-day experience as safe and enjoyable as possible, and they will try to help expedite the entry process with prescreening.
Proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test only applies to entry of the stadium and not tailgating on campus, however, Woodward urges fans entering the stadium to practice social distancing around others who have not been vaccinated or tested so as to not expose others in the stadium.
Woodward says he’s also received positive feedback from fans who have elderly parents or loved ones with preexisting conditions who are grateful for the new policies so they can feel safe about attending games.