Montz residents question industrial growth’s impact on community

Town hall meeting scheduled June 14

When Shannie Marie Borne saw St. Charles Parish’s signs posted in Montz announcing a rezoning request that would clear the way for a gas compressor station in their residential community, she started circulating a petition opposing it.

“The problem is they’re putting a facility that doesn’t need to be here with health and danger risks,” said Borne, a Montz resident for 40 years. “This was not proposed when Entergy did its expansion  … that they’d need a facility to generate compressed gas to the facility.”

Borne is questioning the need to locate Gulf South Pipeline Co.’s planned gas compressor station for Entergy’s $869 million power station, also in Montz.

“If Entergy wants it … put it on their property. They have hundreds of acres,” she said. “Why does it need to be where it’s at? There are no answers. A lot of people are strongly against it.”

Residents commented on the project at a June 14 town hall meeting held at the Norco Civic Association Building in Norco.

Borne and many of her neighbors are coming to the meeting with a petition bearing more than 100 names opposing the project, as well as the rezoning request.

Gulf South Pipeline proposes to build a gas compressor station adjacent Entergy’s power station in Evangeline City Subdivision in Montz in the land use report by the St. Charles Parish Planning and Zoning Department. The gas compressor station would occupy about 3 acres.

Entergy spokesman Mike Burns said the compressor station is essential to operate the St. Charles Power Station.

“It is our understanding Gulf South is taking appropriate steps to minimize any potential effect its project will have on neighboring communities,” Burns said. “Gulf South representatives also will be meeting with residents next week to explain the project and address their concerns.”

Burns said that St. Charles Parish residents will share in the more than $1.3 billion of supply cost savings over the life of the plant, but these savings will not be possible without the Gulf South project.

Gulf South spokeswoman Molly Ladd Whitaker said Gulf South has been operating in this area for many years.

“We have been meeting with local officials about this project and will host an informal meeting next week,” Whitaker said. “During this meeting, Gulf South representatives will be available to provide information about our project and company, and answer questions.”

Resident Coleen Perilloux Landry said it could signal the end of their residential community.

“I am totally opposed to any of the measures offered so far,” Landry said.  “As one of the oldest natives of Montz, I refuse to let our town be destroyed once again by industry. So many young families have moved to Montz and I fear that this will discourage them.

“Now, Entergy wants to move in with its industrial plans,” she added. “This would almost surround the residential area, with Bayou Steel expanding on the west, Entergy on the north and moving west.  Why can’t Entergy expand eastward? There is plenty of land between it and the CCC Road.”

Entergy broke ground for its expansion in February. When completed in 2019, the power station is expected to produce nearly 1,000 megawatts of electricity mainly for Southeast Louisiana.

According to P&Z’s land use report, Gulf States’ proposed project does not comply with the “rural residential” designation for the land unless it is rezoned for industrial use, a move that is also recommends.

But Borne said Montz residents should oppose the move.

“If they rezone this land to industrial we have no leg to stand on for any future projects that want to come to Montz,” she said. “The people of Montz need to come together on this.”

Borne and Landry both say Entergy’s expansion will open the area to more industrial facilities, as well as more infrastructure issues.

“It’s a shame that St. Charles Parish would even think of putting this in the middle of a neighborhood,” she said. “We have a severe drainage problem. We don’t even have a drainage system, and we can’t get a pumping system that drains Montz.

“Why does this facility have to be in the middle of a residential, well-established neighborhood?”

 

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