THIBODAUX, Louisiana -- Lori LeBlanc, executive director of the Gulf Economic Survival Team, issued the following statement today on the appointment of Louisiana Public Service Commissioner and former Louisiana Department of Natural Resources Secretary Scott Angelle to the post of director of the U.S. Department of Interior’s Bureau of Safety, Energy and Environment (BSEE):

“The Gulf Economic Survival Team is extremely pleased with the announcement that Scott Angelle will lead the Bureau of Safety Energy and Environment. Scott has been a long-time champion of the power of our American offshore oil and gas industry to fuel our nation and our economy, and his leadership at BSEE will be essential in securing American energy production in the Gulf in the years ahead.

“Having had the opportunity to work alongside Scott when he served as the Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, I cannot think of a more qualified person to be the Director of BSEE. In addition, while serving as interim Lt. Governor of Louisiana, Scott aggressively and successfully worked to end the federal moratorium on offshore drilling and get our industry back to work in the Gulf of Mexico following the Macondo accident in 2010.

“Scott Angelle is committed to common-sense regulations that ensure safety and environmental protection with transparency and predictability to ensure that America’s offshore oil and gas industry will continue investing in the Gulf and producing jobs and energy that fuel America. We look forward to working with him in this new role to strengthen American energy production in the Gulf.”