St. Charles and other parishes along the Louisiana coast have a very prosperous layout with rich oil and gas production fields, fishing and hunting grounds and deep water ports offering opportunities for engaging in the transportation business. But, of course, when nature provides such facilities to enrich us, we sometimes have to step back to be sure our prosperity does not interfere with the everyday comforts of living.
Such is the case with the reported emissions of hydrogen sulfide at the Shell asphalt plant in St. Rose. The emissions occurred in June, but some St. Rose residents say they continue to smell the odor. Ron Perry, director of St. Charles Parish’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC), said that he met with Shell and IMTT officials after hearing complaints from St. Rose residents that such emissions were occurring at the facility.
The problem is that the state apparently has limited facilities for such testing. In fact it has only one mobile air monitoring lab for the entire state and the resource is being shared throughout.
A Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality spokesman said that plans are being examined where smaller air monitors can be installed in the St. Rose area.
St. Charles Parish Councilman Larry Cochran, a longtime member and former chief of the St. Rose Volunteer Fire Department, said the fire department has checked the problem many times since the emissions release started. “That is what we do, respond to all smells up and down the river,” he said.
Cochran questioned responses he received from the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality which showed no readings that would be harmful to human health. But even so, the complaints of local residents’ discomfort, even though it may not hurt human health, is certainly understandable when they have resided in their communities comfortably and suddenly are confronted with an uncomfortable condition in the atmosphere. It is a situation that certainly deserves attention for correction.
Companies need to be aware that local inhabitants deserve the right to live comfortably in their communities. Shell and other companies are usually very attentive to relieve any problems that arise from industrial production in the area.
And we’re sure that in the current situation in St. Rose, they will cooperate with state and local officials in making and keeping St. Charles a comfortable parish in which to live. It is the way our industries and people must live together for their own comfort and prosperity.
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