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S u n d ay, au g u S t 16, 2026
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La. waits to see how Trump, Congress regulate AI Political pressure mounts over industry concerns
BY MEGHAN FRIEDMANN Staff writer
STAFF PHOTOS BY LESLIE WESTBROOK
A worker drives a backhoe loader across North Eola Road as construction work on the new Eola Place subdivision in Broussard continues on Friday. Residents have expressed concerns about the accelerated growth of rural Acadiana.
Officials grapple with Lafayette’s explosive growth How, and where, development should spread is debated
Robert Bixenman is pictured on his front porch on Friday in Milton. Bixenmen, president of the Milton Water System, is among residents raising concerns about the continued expansion of housing developments into rural Acadiana.
BY ADAM DAIGLE
Acadiana business editor, and staff reports
Could the city of Lafayette simply annex Milton? Longtime Milton resident Bob Bixenman is serious. He says the unincorporated community in southwest Lafayette Parish has little, if any, say in how it is dealing with the accelerated growth. The 180-lot Milton Commons development illustrates the problem. Residents spoke against the project when it came before Lafayette Consolidated Government’s planning commission last month, but the commission approved it because, under existing parish regulations, it had little legal authority to deny it. But, Bixenman noted, another 550 lots are planned elsewhere. And more will the Milton Water System. “Youngsville Government. likely come after that along Gallet Road. stops at Verot School Road. If Youngsville He has to convince others in Milton. Should Milton form its own government? “Lafayette is a very progressive and would take part of that (area of Milton) and Two attempts at that failed. Bixenman says he’s already talked annexation with the growing community, and it’s clean,” said ä See GROWTH, page 4A administration at Lafayette Consolidated Bixenman, 76, who is also president of
During its recent legislative session, Louisiana parked many bipartisan bills regulating artificial intelligence after President Donald Trump’s administration urged states against passing them, arguing that it would be better to have a national regulatory framework. So far, Congress and the president — who also threatened states’ broadband funding to stop them from passing certain AI regulations — have taken a mostly hands-off approach. But as AI causes rising public concern across the political spectrum — and with midterm elections on the horizon — pressure is mounting on Congress to act. Though many politicians on both sides of the aisle say that at least some AI regulations are necessary, the exact nature of the laws Congress may pass remains murky. Top Republican members of Louisiana’s congressional delegation have offered few details on measures they would support, as have major candidates for Louisiana’s two wide-open congressional seats. And many politicians have argued that too many regulations would stifle innovation and hobble the United States in its race against China. “As we see abuses (of AI) we will make sure we address them, but you also don’t want to limit innovation,” House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, a Louisiana Republican, told the press on Aug. 7 after qualifying to run for reelection in November. “One thing government really likes to do a good job of is regulating to the point where they crush innovation, and you’ve seen that in a lot of industry,” he added. “Luckily the
ä See CONGRESS, page 1A
Louisiana’s push for wind power off the Gulf Coast stalls
reality facing the industry. gy firms to buy out offshore wind was determined there is no path German firm sees ‘no path forward’ after settlement a stark Offshore wind in the Gulf — and leases, including RWE, which in forward to permit these projects
BY MIKE SMITH
ter — at least for now. The recent announcement that Staff writer German firm RWE had reached a The prospect of wind power off $1.22 billion settlement with PresLouisiana’s Gulf Coast, once touted ident Donald Trump’s administraas a boon for local companies and tion to relinquish its offshore wind a way to reduce climate-warming leases, including off Louisiana’s emissions, appears dead in the wa- southwestern coast, has laid bare
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nationwide — is up against enormous odds under Trump, industry analysts say. The president has loudly proclaimed his opposition to offshore wind and issued an executive order on his first day in office halting new leases. More recently, the Interior Department has negotiated with ener-
2023 won a bid to develop an area 36 miles off the coast of Cameron Parish. The settlement announced Aug. 6 will see RWE relinquish that lease — the first ever in the Gulf’s federal waters — and others off New York and California, then invest in other energy projects. “After careful consideration, it
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in the U.S. for the foreseeable future,” RWE said in a statement. The Gulf project was a closely watched indicator of the future of offshore wind power in the region. Louisiana companies, already contracted for wind projects in other
ä See WIND, page 5A
102Nd YEAR, NO. 47