AIR PRODUCTS PUBLIC HEARING

This project endangers the lives of thousands of people, the health of fragile yet critical Lake Maurepas, and our planet. Use the following methods to submit your comment to the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) and urge them to deny Air Products’ permit for the construction of this massive plant in Cancer Alley.

1. Attend the Public Hearing:

• Date and Time: Thursday, April 16, 6 PM
• Location: Lamar-Dixon Expo Center, 9039 S. St. Landry Ave, Gonzales, LA 70737

You can provide your comment in person. Keep your statement to 3 minutes or less. If you want to provide a more detailed comment, you can submit a longer written statement at a later date.

2. Speak at the Hearing

• Keep it at 3 minutes or under. Want to say more? Submit a written comment using our template below!
• Check to determine if you live or work within 2 miles of Air Products’ facility or fenceline. LDEQ will usually let people who live close by speak first, although don’t let living farther away stop you from commenting.
• Be specific why you oppose the project and how it would affect you. Will the pipeline pass through your neighborhood? Do your kids attend school nearby? Do you fish in Lake Maurepas? Do you own land nearby?
• If you want to come to the microphone with a friend for support, or have someone give a comment on your behalf, both are allowed.
• LDEQ can’t answer any questions during the hearing. They may ask for clarification on something you said, but they are mostly there to listen.

3. Email Your Comments:

Written comments allow you to submit photos, technical reviews, or other important analysis to LDEQ to show why you are in opposition. It is very important to personalize your written comments to tell LDEQ the concerns you have for your family and your home- please use our template below as a starting point and add your own reasons for opposing the facility. You can attach PDF or Word files to your email, or simply type your comment in the body of the email.

4. Anonymous written comment. 

If you prefer to submit an anonymous written comment, email chunter@risestjames.org with the subject line “Air Products.” RISE St. James will compile and submit these comments without including your name, allowing you to speak out without fear of retaliation.

My name is _________________________..  

I live/work/go to church at _________________________.. .

This is X miles from Air Products

I oppose this project because (select all that apply):

• Carbon dioxide (CO2) pipelines have no place in residential areas. These deadly pipelines would run near my house/work/children’s school/church, and a leak from the pipeline could cause loss of consciousness, permanent brain damage, or even death. There are nearly 3 miles of CO2 pipeline planned within 1 mile of Sorrento Primary School. Also, in case of a leak, we could not evacuate because our cars would not run. The recent CO2 leak in Sulphur was not discovered by Denbury, the pipeline owner- a local resident noticed the leak, tried calling the pipeline owner repeatedly but got no answer, then called the sheriff. In fact, the pipeline owner learned about the leak from law enforcement. Air Products has no plan in place to monitor these pipelines real-time for leaks and communicate any incidents to the parish, schools, and residents, leaving us vulnerable to this odorless and colorless gas. 
• The ammonia storage tanks are close to my house/work/children’s school/church. These tanks require massive amounts of power to keep refrigerated at very low temperatures. In case of a power outage, like during a hurricane, these tanks would become ticking time bombs. If the site loses power, Air Products would keep them from exploding by flaring off massive amounts of ammonia into the air. During the record-breaking summer of 2023, the Dyno Nobel ammonia plant in Waggaman sought to release four times more ammonia emissions than its permits allowed because its equipment could not keep the ammonia cold enough under pressure. After Hurricane Ida, CF Industries in Donaldsonville released large quantities of ammonia directly into the air without flaring, and the Cornerstone facility in Waggaman released at least 7000 pounds of ammonia. Even during normal operations, explosions or releases at ammonia plants are not uncommon. On December 1, 2022, Donaldsonville Primary School was evacuated due to an ammonia leak at CF Industries. Air Products has not sufficiently described how it would protect me and my family from ammonia accidents during hurricanes or extreme heat events. 
• Ammonia is not a “fuel of the future”, it is a hazardous material. Short-term inhalation exposure to high levels of ammonia can cause irritation and serious burns in the mouth, lungs, and eyes. Chronic or long term exposure to airborne ammonia can increase the risk of respiratory irritation, cough, wheezing, tightness in the chest, and impaired lung function.  Damage to the lungs caused by ammonia can make people more susceptible to bacterial infections in the lungs. Ammonia is extremely toxic to fish when released into waterways. The 2025 explosion at a CF Industries plant in Yazoo City, Mississippi, caused residents to evacuate amidst clouds of ammonia and smoke. Air Products has not communicated an evacuation plan if their facility exploded. 
• The jobs that Air Products promises are hazardous to health. Workers who are exposed to high levels of ammonia on the job, like at Air Products, have been shown to develop respiratory symptoms and decreased lung function. Air Products has made no promises that any of the 150 full-time jobs it has claimed will be created by this project will go to local residents. 
• Air Products would be shipping ammonia on giant ships up to 800 feet long- that’s more than 2 and a half football fields long. These ships burn diesel fuel and release PM2.5 and PM10 into the air. High PM levels can trigger an asthma attack, and I/my family members suffer from asthma. Even across the river, the dock operations for this project would affect me. 
• My ancestors were enslaved at the Orange Grove or nearby plantations, and are likely buried in the Orange Grove cemetery. Air Products plans to build a heavy use industrial road right by the cemetery, which would be a disgrace to the memories of my ancestors and prevent me from visiting the cemetery to pay my respects and visit their gravesites. There is no plan for a buffer area around the cemetery, despite Air Products’ own investigation finding grave markers outside of the currently fenced in area.
• The noise, traffic, and pollution during the construction period will impact my quality of life. Air Products has estimated that there will be around 2000 construction jobs over a four year period of construction, which means more cars on our already clogged highways. So over four years, I will have bright lights, loud noises, dirt, and dust from the site impacting my life, and then once the plant becomes operational, there might be even more heavy truck traffic on the roads. Air Products claimed it would conduct a highway and traffic study in its Environmental Assessment Statement, but has not yet done so, so I have no way to know the true impact of the increased traffic and industrial vehicles. 
• I fish in Lake Maurepas, and the carbon injection wells will negatively impact the lake. The dredging and drilling to create the wells stirs up sediment that harms wildlife and ruins water quality. The wells themselves are experimental and there is no evidence that they will actually hold the injected CO2 for thousands of years. 
• My children attend Sorrento Primary. If the pipeline near the school exploded, my children would be exposed to high levels of CO2 and would not have time to evacuate. 

Yours in Service,

Sharon Cayette Lavigne, RISE St. James, Founder & Executive Director

Caitlion O. Hunter, RISE St. James, Director of Research & Policy