By Rita Shirley LeBleu
Over 70 individuals showed up at the South Beauregard Recreation District Community Center on Thursday, Mar. 5. They were there for a Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality public hearing.
Longville resident Michael Tritico was present and spoke in opposition to a permit for Louisiana Energy Gateway, along with about 20 others. The retired biologist and president of RESTORE (Restore Explicit Symmetry to Our Ravaged Earth) said he started studying the 397-page permit package about a month in advance. He wasn’t the only one.
“They did their homework, and we’re not talking the usual environmental wackos like me; it was a beautiful thing to see,” he said.
The hearing allowed speakers to voice favor or opposition to the proposed Gillis Treating Carbon Capture and Sequestration Facility. This facility would be 4.9 miles from Ragley in Beauregard Parish, as close as 250 feet from family homes. Some of those families said they and generations before and after enjoy the fresh air and quiet of country living. Others have just moved to South Beauregard, investing it all to escape life in an industrial corridor.
No one spoke in favor of the project. One of the people speaking in opposition to the project was Kyle Campbell. He lives 380 yards from the proposed site.
He said it is “unreasonable, irresponsible and frankly alarming that the LDEQ is even considering approving a major toxic air pollutant source facility this close to established homes, families and neighborhoods,” noting emissions of what he described as “a highly toxic gas, H2S.”
John DeSalvo said he would never have purchased his home if he’d known there was potential for such a facility. He is doubtful he will be able to sell it.
“Now I feel trapped,” he said.
Some of the speakers were familiar with industrial emission standards.
Cody Hanchey pointed out that the representative from Williams who spoke on behalf of the facility, named a different stack height than that listed in the permit package. “I don’t understand how the permit changes tonight, so just with that I feel like they need to resubmit a permit,” he said. “H2S must be controlled with enforceable technology such as scrubbing sulphur recovery or verified obstruction.”
To read the rest of this story, please see page four of the print edition of The DeQuincy News.
