Joseph Matis
August 6, 2007
Felma Arceneaux
August 8, 2007
Residents of Lafourche Parish met with officials from the federal Minerals and Management Service on July 24 at the Larose Civic Center, urging the MMS to take greater action to relieve the environmental impacts stemming from increased use of Louisiana Highway 1 by industry.
La. 1 is the only road leading to Grand Isle and Port Fourchon.
The hearing was conducted by the MMS to receive public input concerning the Gulf of Mexico Lease Sale No. 224.
The state filed suit to block the lease because the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) did not take into account the potential loss of marshland created by increased truck activity along La. 1.
“Over 13,00 18-wheelers go down to Port Fourchon with OCS (Outer Continental Shelf) equipment on them,” said Henri Boulet, executive director of the LA 1 Coalition.
MMS is settling with the state, agreeing to incorporate loss of marshland into the revised EIS.
“Also, with the lawsuit, MMS saw that the state was serious about revenue sharing,” Boulet said.
Any activity associated with lease sale No. 224 would be supported out of Port Fourchon.
“This will compound our traffic problems,” he said. “We didn’t agree with some of their statements saying they didn’t have to assess traffic impacts.”
“The federal government wants us to support OCS activity, but we want a safe road,” he said.
LA 1 Coalition was told by MMS on Aug. 1 that the agency would meet with the coalition to further discuss environmental impacts caused by oil and gas extraction in the Gulf of Mexico. The coalition wants the federal government to pay for improvements to La. 1.
“We have to create federal legislation to design a funding mechanism to fund the La. 1 project,” Boulet said. “How it will be funded, we don’t know.”
“It’s a tremendous movement by the federal government,” he said. “They’re responding in a responsible way. When we have this meeting, we want MMS to bring their best legal minds. We will bring our best.”
LA 1 Coalition hopes to meet with MMS no later than the fall.
The highway is currently undergoing $300 million in improvements. LA 1 Coalition estimates that the roadway needs $1.1 billion more.
“This is great news” about the meeting with MMS, Boulet said. “We embrace this. We’re excited about it.”
Lafourche Parish officials are urging the federal Minerals and Management Service to relieve the environmental impacts stemming from increased use of Louisiana Highway 1 by industry. The highway is the only passage leading to Grand Isle and Port Fourchon. According to Henri Boulet, executive director of the LA 1 Coalition, “Over 13,000 18-wheelers go down to Port Fourchon with OCS (Outer Continental Shelf) equipment on them.” * Photo courtesy of LA 1 Coalition
