Terrebonne council hires firm to analyze tank contents

Terrebonne Parish has contracted with the Santa Cruz, Calif.-based environmental compliance company Allterra Environmental to analyze the chemical contents of the Plains All American oil-storage tank proposed for Gibson.

Plains is applying to the state Department of Environmental Quality for an air-operating permit for the site.

Pat Gordon, parish director of planning and zoning, said his department will not issue the company a permit until Plains receives all necessary state and federal permits.

Gordon said Allterra is currently working on the analysis. Allterra is charging the parish between $2,000 and $2,500 for the work.

At the Oct. 8 meeting of the Terrebonne Parish Council’s Community Development and Planning Committee, Councilman Harold Lapeyre spoke out strongly in favor of hiring a private chemical analysis company to assess the contents of the proposed tank.

“Let a neutral party evaluate it,” Lapeyre said. “If we build a case to deny (Plains) a permit, we need to be able to substantiate our position.”

“If they comply with all the requirements, do we have a leg to stand on?” he said. “If we deny (Plains) a permit, we expose this parish to a potential lawsuit.”

A DEQ handout lists the toxic substances benzene, xylene, cumene and n-hexane as components of the tank contents.

Louisiana environmental activist Wilma Subra is also examining the contents at the request of nearby residents.