Oilfield waste site coming to Houma?

Terrebonne Parish councilman Johnny Pizzolatto has proposed allowing the underground disposal of oilfield waste in north Houma.

Pizzolatto tells a Houma newspaper that his proposal would exclude “saltwater injection wells and the disposal of brine” from the list of waste-disposal or storage facilities that must be at least one mile from any homes, apartments or businesses in the local hazardous waste.

Vanguard Environmental is seeking a permit to install injection wells onsite.

Vanguard transports drilling and oil-field production fluids, disposes of waste and assists in cleanup of spills, according to its website.

The disposal of brine, used in oil and natural gas extraction, would still have to follow state law, which calls for injection wells to be at least 500 feet from inhabited homes or businesses.