Newsmakers
August 20, 2013Group urges support for Hoodstock
August 20, 2013
BP is making good on its commitment to the region, awarding $625,000 to projects in St. Mary Parish and $6 million to Terrebonne, according to the company’s community relations director.
Peter Clifford, BP manager of community relations for Louisiana, passed the good word at last week’s St. Mary Parish Chamber of Commerce’s monthly luncheon. BP sponsored the event.
“If BP would not have invested in this community, trust me, you would notice,” he said.
During the BP Deepwater Horizon cleanup, Clifford said 48,000 people were called to work. In addition, 6,000 vessels assisted, he said. In all, 13 million feet of boom were laid to soak up oil along the Gulf of Mexico coast.
In the three years since, Clifford said BP has sponsored St. Mary’s Shrimp and Petroleum Festival. This year, the company has awarded a grant.
Terrebonne Parish has received a $2 million grant for tourism from BP. The company also invested $4 million toward expanding the new Fletcher Community College technology training center.
Among the companies recent attributed, Clifford offered the following:
• BP spent more than $500 million in Louisiana in 2012, and currently employs 600 Louisiana residents and contractors.
• Last year, BP announced donations totaling over $4 million to Louisiana schools and colleges to support science and math education.
Clifford also shared an op-ed letter from John Minge, chairman and president of BP America Inc. regarding oil spill claim settlements.
Minge wrote that BP has “paid $14 billion in response and cleanup costs and more than 300,000 claims totaling $11 billion for spill-related businesses.
“A claims system that does not have assurances of integrity does a disservice to our employees and contractors who depend on BP to support their families, and to our shareholders, who enable us to provide energy and create jobs in America. Every dollar paid for a fictitious claim is a dollar BP will no longer have available to invest in America, where we currently support nearly 250,000 jobs.”
Also speaking at last Wednesday’s chamber lunch, which was held at the Forest Restaurant, were Steve Hubertus, facilities general manager for the Cabot Carbon Black Plant in Centerville, and Oneal Darden, director of sales and catering at Cypress Bayou Casino.
Hubertus said Cabot Carbon Black is celebrating its 61st anniversary in St. Mary Parish this year, and its 131st corporate anniversary.
The company operates worldwide, with sites in South America and China.
“We have 45 manufacturing sites in 20 countries around the world,” he said. “We make the stuff that’s in your automobile – tires, belts, hoses, anything that’s rubber
and black – in your car. We also make inks, adhesives and, of course, the stuff that’s inside your copier.”
Darden said Cypress Bayou is about to break ground on a convenience store and 12 pump gas station on its property. The Chitimacha Tribe, which owns the casino, is hopeful about Raintree Village, acreage the tribe earmarked for 1,300 homes.
“So far, we’ve only sold eight lots, but we’re still optimistic,” he said. “Our hope is get people to move, build and establish themselves in our parish. Our focus isn’t just the casino, but very much on economic development.”
BP Manager of Community Relations for Louisiana Peter Clifford speaks to the St. Mary Chamber of Commerce at its monthly luncheon. Clifford said the Tri-parish area will miss the much-maiigned company if it was gone.
