Council kills oil waste proposal

A standing room only crowd of more than 170 citizens made their presence known last Wednesday, and prompted Terrebonne Parish Councilman Johnny Pizzolatto and other council members to reject a proposal that would have reduced the distance saltwater-injection wells can be placed in proximity to residential areas.

“As a politician when two people come and talk to you about an issue, you listen to them very carefully. Sometimes, you will change your mind, but normally you will vote your conscience. When one third of the district who voted for you comes and talks, and [sends] e-mail and telephone calls, you listen VERY carefully. And that sometimes helps you change your mind,” Pizzolatto said before those in attendance.

Pizzolatto had introduced an ordinance that would have permitted Vanguard to place a commercial saltwater injection well on the company’s property, but in close proximity to homes and schools.

Terrebonne Parish currently restricts the placing of such commercial wells to outside one mile from a residential area. State regulations allow the placing of such wells as near as 500 feet from residential areas.

The issue sparked two-weeks of debate as people concerned about the environment, personal safety from containments, and quality of life issues made their move to block the issue.

“I heard you very loud and clear, very loud and clear,” Pizzolatto said, “and tonight I’m voting ‘no’ on the ordinance.”

Those in attendance broke out into applause and cheers upon Pizzolatto’s statement.

Before voting on the matter, council members followed procedure and allowed members of the public an opportunity to state their case, although it appeared apparent that the ordinance to amend parish codes and permit commercial saltwater injection wells to be placed as close as 500 feet from a residential area had died.

Those that addressed the council included educators, business owners and residents from various parish locations. Liz Scurto, principal of St. Gregory Barbarigo Elementary School in Houma presented council members with a petition signed by 451 parents of her students. Several speakers expressed appreciation that the voter’s voice could make a difference and thanked Pizzolatto for changing his vote.

“We don’t want waste water in our neighborhoods. Hazardous or otherwise, we just don’t want it,” said Houma resident Gregory Eaton.

“If you want to make points with the public, next time instead of trying to take something away, try giving something,” said Doug Daigle of Gibson.

Councilman Kevin Voisin said that although he intended to vote against the ordinance [to shorten the distance requirement], it is important for all those in attendance to remember that everyone in the room uses petroleum products and has goods made in part from petroleum. In turn, he said, especially in a petroleum-producing parish, that there is going to be waste and it will have to be disposed of in a safe and responsible manner.

“In his defense,” Councilwoman Arlanda Williams said to the assembly, “Mr. Pizzolatto did not change his vote. We had never voted. We voted to send this to public hearing to give you guys an opportunity to state exactly what you have done. [Pizzolatto] is a person who listens to the cries of the people and that is why he has made a decision to vote against changing the ordinance [to shorting the distance requirements]. None of us voted for this. We voted to bring it to the public. … This is the type of turnout that we expect.”

In accordance with procedure, a motion to accept the ordinance was made by Williams. The motion was in turn offered unanimous rejection by the parish council.

Councilman Alvin Tillman, who had stood in opposition to the saltwater injection well proposal since it first went to committee, declined to comment following the meeting on the public turnout or the way a vote ultimately went.

“You have to listen to the people that elect you. That’s the way Democracy works,” Pizzolatto said.