Bloomberg’s War on Petrochemicals Hits Louisiana

The petrochemical industry is one of Louisiana’s economic engines.

Facilities along the Mississippi River corridor produce plastics, fertilizers, and chemical materials used in thousands of everyday products. The industry also supports thousands of high-paying jobs and billions of dollars in economic activity.

But that industry is now a major target of billionaire Michael Bloomberg’s climate activism network.

In 2023, Bloomberg launched the “Beyond Petrochemicals” campaign with an $85 million commitment designed to stop the construction of more than 120 petrochemical facilities nationwide.

Many of those proposed plants are located in Gulf Coast states like Louisiana.

The campaign follows the same strategy Bloomberg used successfully against coal power plants. His earlier “Beyond Coal” campaign helped drive the closure of more than 300 coal plants through coordinated legal, political, and activist pressure.

Now that model is being applied to petrochemical manufacturing.

Funding from Bloomberg’s network supports national environmental organizations, legal advocacy groups, and grassroots activists who oppose industrial projects at the local level.

In Louisiana, this network intersects with activist organizations such as Save My Louisiana and critics of carbon capture initiatives promoted by the LA CO₂ Alliance.

According to reporting cited in the document, Bloomberg’s funding has allowed local activists to build more sophisticated campaigns, including professional websites, advertising campaigns, and legal challenges aimed at delaying or stopping industrial development.

Supporters say these efforts protect communities from pollution.

But opponents argue the strategy threatens Louisiana’s economic future.

If large-scale industrial investments are repeatedly delayed or blocked, the consequences could include lost jobs, reduced tax revenue, and fewer opportunities for the next generation of Louisiana workers.

For many residents, the debate ultimately comes down to a simple question: should Louisiana’s economic future be shaped by local workers and communities, or by national activism campaigns funded by billionaires from outside the state?