LOGA Industry Report - Fall 2008 - (Page 32)

Conservationist by Trade by Melanie Jarrell Go green! This is not the cheer of my favorite football team, but rather the mantra that is sweeping across the country to be a conservationist of energy and natural resources. The oil and gas industry is a leader in conserving energy and natural resources. We are under strict guidelines by federal, state and local agencies to obtain permits to track our air emissions; track and document all discharged water and wastewater; and be totally accountable for our wastes generated while being responsible for the transport and proper disposal of our industrial waste types. We are also mandated by law to reduce or minimize the amount of these wastes and pollutants. Green is nothing new to our industry. What is new is the keen interest by the rest of the world in things we have been mandated to do for years now. There are many more ways a company can exceed strict minimal requirements in becoming “greener,” but although those options loom in the foreground, are they feasible or cost prohibitive? Do they make good business sense? Is it part of the corporate culture to develop more stringent company policies when government mandates provide sufﬁcient regulations for a sound environmental framework? Or would it serve the company better to develop a program that looks to future regulatory changes and has a mechanism to incorporate those items swiftly and proﬁciently instead, knowing that in keeping with regulatory changes, the company is seated in a position of continual compliance with the added bonus of a continual improvement stance? Environmental professionals are aware of similar instances where the tradeoff is far from economical, but a company may have chosen the high road just to get some impetus toward being perceived as a “green company.” Nothing wrong with that, except that if careful planning and long-term efforts were expended instead, green efforts may have been integrated into the normal business rather than as an ancillary item tacked on for good measure or perception (And then when things turn, budgets are cut or new management steps up and green efforts get lopped off.) Going green is better served not through a pet project by a few of the regulatory folks in a company, but with a philosophy whereby it can create a continual improvement atmosphere beneﬁcial to the environment as well as the company’s bottom line. Sustainable Development Auditing a company’s sustainable development indicators is a good start to developing an ongoing program that will beneﬁt the environment, the company culture and the perception of the public toward that company. The audit in design is more of a report card with recommendations moving toward an integrated program for managing sustainable developmental aspects within the framework of the company philosophy, mission statement and ongoing activities. For companies who feel they have very little wiggle room for changes such as this, the audit brings out the areas where the company might already be managing a sustainable/ conservation program. Do the Math People want to be a part of something great; it’s human nature. However, purchasing a car that gets more gas mileage but is a prototype and not manufactured well and needs repairs often does not make good economic sense. Less money spent on gasoline, but more on repairs. Do the math. …PURCHASING a car that gets more gas mileage but is a prototype and not manufactured well and needs repairs often does not make good economic sense. Less money spent on gasoline, but more on repairs. Do the math. 32 | LOGA INDUSTRY REPORT | FALL 2008

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LOGA Industry Report - Fall 2008 Contents Chairman's Corner President's Perspective Commissioner's Comments From the Pipeline... Supreme Court Upholds Act 312 LOGA Challenges Commission's Ad Valorem Tax Rules The Haynesville Shale - Waiting for the Gas to Come In 2008 Legislative Recap Gulf Coast Prospect Expo 2008 2nd Annual LAGCOE Open Golf Tournament Conservationist by Trade Katrina Relief Fund Update DNR Intent Natural Gas Production Surges: A Free Market At Work IPAA Washington Report Legal Updates New Members Index to Advertisers

LOGA Industry Report - Fall 2008

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