Currently — November 18th, 2022

November 17, 2022

What you need to know, currently.

The less-publicized runoff election for a seat on Louisiana’s Public Service Commission has massive climate implications; the state is one of the nation’s top oil and gas producers.

Davante Lewis, an activist from Baton Rouge, seeks to unseat fellow Democrat Lambert Boissiere III, who comes from a prominent political family in New Orleans. Both men want to shift away from fossil fuels, and toward renewables, in an effort to meet climate goals and protect Louisiana’s vulnerable electric grid. However, Lewis is pushing for the state to adopt a renewable portfolio standard that requires utilities to reach net-zero emissions by 2035.

The Public Service Commission is a five-member body that is responsible for regulating electric utilities. Recently, it has been embroiled with controversy, as customers’ electrical bills continue to skyrocket.

Lewis’ campaign states that only two of the five members favor clean energy over fossil fuels, but if he wins the election, he promises a pro-climate majority.

Lewis has also criticized Boissiere for accepting donations from industries that he’s made to regulate, including the utility Entergy and its executives, many of which have ties to companies regulated by the PSC.

The runoff election is scheduled for Dec. 10.

—Aarohi Sheth

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