Tag Archives: Plaquemine

Citizen group to support $7+ million in penalties against Clean Harbors, Plaquemine, LLC at October 4, 2006 court hearing

BAYOU SORREL VICTIMS ASSOCIATION, OCTOBER 3, 2OO6
BATON ROUGE, La.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The Bayou Sorrel Victims Association, LLC has announced plans to support a request that over $7 million dollars in penalties be issued against Clean Harbors Plaquemine, LLC for allegedly violating a Court Order entered by the 18th J.D.C., Parish of Iberville at a hearing scheduled for 9 a.m., on October 4, 2006. On June 9, 2006 the Trial Court handed down its ruling which found that a “Temporary Restraining Order was stipulated to by the Parties” and that Clean Harbors Plaquemine, LLC was in “total disregard for that Restraining Order as though the Order had never existed.” As a result, a hearing was scheduled to set penalties of up to $10,000.00 per day of violation which could total $7.3 million dollars. Another Louisiana court has recently ruled on penalties for an environmental violator. On September 18, 2006 a “Hazardous Waste Recycler,” Marine Shale Processors, agreed to a settlement of civil penalties and clean up costs of over $6 million dollars. Additional information may be found at www.bayouvictims.com.
The Mission of the Bayou Sorrel Victims Association, LLC is to help protect the health and safety of the citizens of Bayou Sorrel, LA and their family members. By unifying together to form a common bond, this mission can be accomplished. By exposing the environmental travesties that have been heaped upon the Bayou Sorrel residents it is hoped that the children of the community will be able to grow up enjoying the Bayou as their forefathers did for centuries before industry invaded this precious area.
Contacts for
The Bayou Sorrel Victims Association, LLC
Dodson and Hooks, APLC
Kenneth H. Hooks, III, 225-756-0222
Fax, 225-756-0025
Kennyhooks@aol.com

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Plaquemine residents express fears over Dow benzene pipeline

STORY & PHOTO: MARK H. HUNTER, THE ADVOCATE, MAY 7, 2006
plaquemine+benzene.jpg
Hazel Sparrow, left, a resident of Point Pleasant, listens to General Manager Scott Presley of Pipeline Technology explain on Saturday his company’s plans to construct a 23-mile benzene pipeline that will pass near the Ella Road and Point Pleasant communities. Presley holds a section of the pipe to illustrate its construction details.
PLAQUEMINE, LOUISIANA — The Iberville Parish president and a pipeline company executive on Saturday assured a group of rural residents that a proposed benzene pipeline would not endanger their health and safety.
Residents of the Ella Road and Point Pleasant communities invited Parish President Mitch Ourso Jr. and general manager Scott Presley of Pipeline Technology to meet with them at the residence of Vera and Charles Brooks just off La. 1 about 3 miles southeast of Plaquemine.
The pipeline, 8 inches in diameter, is proposed to run from the Dow Chemical Co. plant near Plaquemine across 23 miles of Iberville Parish, through the small community of Point Pleasant, under the Mississippi River to the TOTAL Petrochemicals USA Inc. plant near Carville, said Presley, general manager of Pipeline Technology, the line’s owner and operator.
The Baton Rouge company is negotiating rights of way and still requires some state and federal permits before the $17 million project goes under construction in 2007, Presley said.
Some of the nine residents who attended the meeting told Ourso and Presley they are worried because benzene is a hazardous chemical.
Benzene is used to produce styrene, Presley told the residents gathered in the Brooks’ living room, and is used in a range of products from foam coffee cups to plastic bodies of television sets and computers.
“Benzene is a carcinogen and long exposure to it is shown to cause cancer,” Presley said. “The greatest public exposure to benzene is gasoline. Some of the (odor) you smell is the benzene in the gas.”
Presley stressed the public will be protected by environmental precautions the company will take building the line.
Measures will include a high-pressure test before it goes online and computers that will constantly monitor pressure, temperature and flow rate. Six valves strategically placed along the line will shut it down in an emergency, he said.
Presley presented his plans to the Iberville Parish Council six weeks ago. Parish President Ourso told residents the parish government is satisfied with the pipeline project.
“I don’t oppose this,” Ourso said. “Right now they are transporting 125 barge loads of benzene on the (Mississippi) river and there is a large margin for error involving accidents, fog, ship (collisions) and human error loading and unloading it. Pipelines are proven to be the safest mode of transportation and I don’t think we’ll have any problems with it.”
Ourso added that much of the pipeline will be in a “pipeline alley,” a right of way which already carries four pipelines and an overhead electric transmission line.
“I don’t see any adverse effects,” Ourso said. “I think it will improve air quality and safety on the river by removing 10 to 12 barges a month.”
Vera Brooks, whose house is about a mile from the proposed pipeline and 50 yards from the river’s levee, said after the meeting her concerns were addressed by the officials.
“I have more understanding with how the pipeline is going and what they want to do,” she said. “That’s all we wanted — a good understanding. There was a time when people would come in here and just shove this stuff down our throats.”
Charles Brooks, her husband, agreed. “I think it will be safer underground than on barges on the river. As long as they keep their promises and as long as it’s not on my doorstep, it’s fine.”
Hazel Sparrow, who lives in nearby Point Pleasant, said she fears the pipeline will come down her road to the river.
“I’m not convinced,” Sparrow said. “I’m concerned about my seven grandchildren. We have enough chemicals around here now. I don’t feel like it is safe.”
Janice Dickerson of Brusly said she viewed the meeting as “an excellent beginning. All these companies need to do is come directly to the people and let them know it is safe. People around here were very concerned.”
The meeting wound down around noon and Presley said he, too. felt that the residents’ concerns were addressed.
“I’m grateful they invited me here and I think we knocked down some rumors that have no basis in fact,” Presley said. “I think most of the people here will leave feeling better about it.”

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