Plaquemines oil terminal hurdles

A public hearing on a proposed $2.5B crude oil terminal port for Plaquemines Parish, La., has been delayed indefinitely at the developer's request due to the lack of a final sediment study, which appeared to be the crux of the delay, according to a statement issued by Tallgrass Energy, the terminal's developers. The hearing, slated for Feb. 6 in Belle Chasse, was to be a joint public meeting hosted by the Louisiana departments of Environmental Quality and Natural Resources. Environmental groups had organized for the meeting to speak in opposition to the development of a public port in Plaquemines Parish. But, the project faces more hurdles beyond “enviro” groups. Construction would require a 700-mile pipeline as its primary source of oil. The developers also have proposed ramping up the number of tank cars bringing in crude oil from the West Bank through Gretna, and south to Ironton, where the terminal would sit. Planners also anticipate the river would have to be dredged for larger vessels. The most likely top issue is that the terminal site is adjacent to the Louisiana's plans for a $1.4B Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion project that would send tons of sediment from the Mississippi River into the Barataria basin in an effort to slow coastal erosion. It’s the cornerstone of the state's coastal master plan. Last spring, coastal restoration leaders gave provisional permission for the oil terminal project to move ahead, but retained the right to revoke that decision later if developers failed to show that the terminal wouldn't negatively affect the diversion. A new date for the public hearing has yet to be determined. (Source: NOLA.com 02/06/20)