'Legacy lawsuit' deal nears, lawmakers say
Advocate (excerpt)

Legislators negotiating a way to address the controversial “legacy lawsuit” issue said Thursday the compromise, which has eluded oil companies and landowners for months, could come as soon as next week. “I would not be surprised if we don’t have something acceptable to both sides by mid-week,” said state Sen. Gerald Long, chairman of the Senate Natural Resources Committee who said he spoke to the lead legislative negotiators earlier on Thursday.

State Sen. Bret Allan II, R-Franklin, and state Rep. Neil Abramson, D-New Orleans, both of whom sponsored competing bills, are leading the negotiations, said Long, R-Winnfield.

Generally, Allan’s Senate Bill 760 is considered by legislators and lobbyists as the measure supported by landowners seeking the cleanup of environmental damage caused years ago when energy companies extracted oil and natural gas off their property.