Gives St. Charles Parish list of demands after chemical release
Retired U.S. Army Lt. General Russel Honoré is front and center in the brewing discussion over how to handle toxic emissions he says were released throughout the month of June from the IMTT facility in St. Rose.
In the aftermath of the incident a community group, St. Rose Community: One Voice, has formed and they are getting a boost from Honoré, who is well known for handling the U.S. Army’s response to the devastation of hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. More recently, Honoré, a Pointe Coupee Parish native, has started the Green Army in response to what he says is a state government that is overrun by the influence of oil and gas industry lobbyists.
The recent action comes on the heels of a report that revealed hydrogen sulfide emissions were released from the IMTT facility over a 10-day period in June and led to more than 130 people in the area complaining of illnesses. The emissions were released when crude oil feedstock with a high sulphur content was processed by an asphalt plant operated by Shell on the IMTT campus, according to the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality.
A joint statement by Shell and IMTT said the emissions were within permitted limits, but that they will focus on adding to their odor elimination equipment.
St. Rose Community: One Voice is giving the St. Charles Parish government 30 days to put in place plans for an automated, comprehensive air monitoring system near IMTT.
“We are united to solve this problem. We have been dealing with these chemicals for years, though the problems since June have been especially acute. We cannot go on like this any longer and look forward to your leadership in achieving the preceding goals in the next 30 days, by Friday, Oct. 3,” a letter the group sent to the parish reads.
Should their demands not be met, Honoré said area residents will protest at the facility.
“We are going to exercise the right to assemble. We will ask the people of St. Rose to assemble. We know where the back and front gate of Shell [IMTT] is. We have civil rights,” he said. “We want their workers and their shareholders to know what they are doing to this poor community.”
Shell and IMTT scheduled a meeting with St. Rose Community: One Voice for Wednesday, but the meeting was canceled by the St. Rose group, according to Ken Jones, manufacturing communications and social performance advisor for the Norco Manufacturing Complex.
“Shell continues to work closely with IMTT, the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality and St. Charles Parish officials to prevent nuisance odors similar to the incident that occurred this past June,” Jones said. “Certain materials have been removed from the St. Rose site, odor control equipment has been installed and there is regular air monitoring on the site by workers.”
However, several St. Rose residents say they have continued to detect a strong odor coming from IMTT.
Last week, 125 residents held a meeting to voice their displeasure with what they feel is the parish and state government’s allowance of an intolerable situation to continue.
The group’s biggest demand is for the parish to provide a continuous air monitoring system for the St. Rose neighborhoods that were affected by the emissions. Honoré said the group is asking the parish to provide local air monitoring because current air monitoring conducted by industries and the state falls short of protecting residents living near industrial areas.
“The state has repeatedly shown their machines are set at such a level that rarely detects anything coming out of the plants. When they show up, they rarely get anything,” he said. “The automatic statement is there was a release, but it didn’t go beyond the fence line. That is their standard answer.”
Last legislative session, Honoré unsuccessfully pushed for a law that would modernize air monitoring at all plants that have emissions by requiring them to update air monitoring technology and provide test results to local government entities.
“We have recommended a law that would require plants to have 21st century monitoring. Every plant would have a black box just like an airplane and all of the information would be recorded,” he said.
Although such a reform has not been passed on a statewide level, Honoré said St. Charles Parish is now in the position to lead the state when it comes to protecting local residents from industrial releases by providing on-site air monitoring.
“I think we are at the point in time where the parish could be a role model. We can’t continue to operate like we did 30 years ago. We don’t do it with anything else. We need to change,” he said. “We ought to be able to do that with the chemicals in Louisiana that may kill you. We process them and provide them to the world. The people that live here ought to at least have moderate protection.”
In addition to requests for better monitoring, several St. Rose residents have retained the services of New Orleans-based Huber, Slack, Thomas & Marcelle for a class-action lawsuit against Shell and IMTT because they say they were sickened and had to seek medical attention after being exposed to toxins emitted from the facility.
“I don’t want to sound radical and I don’t want to sound mad, I’m just passionate that democracy is not working in Louisiana. Everyone loves the jobs industry provides, but that doesn’t mean we should walk out our door and not be able to breathe,” Honoré said.
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