Louisiana

Mitsubishi’s planned $1.3bn chemical plant in Louisiana doesn’t work economically or environmentally, energy group says

Published

2 hours ago

July 23, 2024

Mitsubishi’s planned .3bn chemical plant in Louisiana doesn’t work economically or environmentally, energy group says

$1.3 billion chemical production facility to be built in Louisiana by Japanese conglomerate Mitsubishi is economically questionable and unnecessarily increases greenhouse gas emissions, according to an energy think tank report released Monday.

The proposed Mitsubishi plant is “the wrong project, at the wrong place and time, with the wrong financial scenario,” said the report from the Institute of Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, or IEEFA, an Ohio-based nonprofit.

Mitsubishi Chemical Group would be capable of annually producing 350,000 tons of methyl methacrylate, or MMA, a chemical component found in cement, adhesives, textiles and plastics.

The facility would also be among the state’s top 50 greenhouse gas emitters, according to data from the Environmental Protection Agency. And it is being constructed in Ascension Parish, along a stretch of the Mississippi River between Baton Rouge and New Orleans known as “ cancer alley ” for its heavy industrial pollution.

The facility would release more than 780,000 tons of carbon dioxide annually even though an alternative production process less reliant on fossil fuels exists, the IEEFA report notes.

Mitsubishi stated in 2022 that its proposed facility in Louisiana “achieves the lowest possible carbon footprint for MMA production.” The proposed facility’s natural gas-based production process is also intended to help the industry shift away from the dominant method of cyanide-based production.

But IEEFA said Mitsubishi does not need to choose between cyanide or natural gas for the chemical component’s production since there is another option: An alternative biofuel-based technology has become viable and is already being adopted elsewhere by Mitsubishi and its competitors.

The market conditions and economic viability of the facility have also worsened, IEEFA reports. Compared to when Mitsubishi began planning this facility in 2014, construction costs have increased, prices for the chemical component have flatlined and growth forecasts have reduced.

The global market for methyl methacrylate will be oversaturated by the time the plant is expected to begin operating in 2028, said Tom Sanzillo, director of financial analysis for IEEFA and former deputy comptroller for New York.

The analysis estimates that U.S.-based producers will increase the amount of methyl methacrylate they are capable of producing to more than 1.2 million tons, while only needing to produce two-thirds of that amount.

“The U.S. market is not expected to expand beyond its historical norms,” the report states.

IEEFA notes that the Mitsubishi plant would be unlikely to find an outlet for its methyl methacrylate in China, the largest consumer and producer of the chemical component. Earlier this year, Mitsubishi shut down a methyl methacrylate plant in Hiroshima, citing oversupply from China.

Both Europe and the Middle East also face market uncertainties given the ongoing wars in Ukraine and Gaza, according to the report.

Mitsubishi Chemical Group representative Eri Nishumata declined an interview request on behalf of the company, stating that “the final investment decision has not yet been made.” Mitsubishi did not respond to a request for comment on IEEFA’s analysis.

Mitsubishi received an estimated tax exemption from the state of Louisiana for $17 million for its first year of operation, but multiple delays in beginning construction have pushed the start date back. Sanzillo said he believes the company is waiting to see if the market conditions improve before proceeding.

“The company is now using the government as a speculative tool,” he said. “And you’re not supposed to do that with subsidies, you’re supposed to go forward with them.”

The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality stated in a February public notice that the Mitsubishi plant is not expected to have “a significant adverse impact on soil, vegetation, visibility or air quality in the area of the facility.”

Environmental groups point out that the hundreds of tons of pollutants the facility would emit are linked to harmful health impacts, including respiratory infection, lung cancer and strokes. A February public hearing for the facility’s pending air permit saw vocal opposition from some community members, while others praised the expected jobs and hope of economic benefits.

The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality and Ascension Parish authorities could not be reached for comment.

While the Mitsubishi plant plans to directly employ 125 people, Ascension Parish resident Ashley Gaignard is skeptical that the facility will help her community or the environment.

“Bringing more industries into the community is a false solution,” said Gaignard, 47, who founded the environmental justice nonprofit Rural Roots. “Industry is the wheel that keeps Louisiana burning. And that’s the real truth about it.”

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Louisiana

American Job Center offering solutions to Louisiana’s unemployment problem

Published

9 hours ago

July 23, 2024

Press Room

American Job Center offering solutions to Louisiana’s unemployment problem

LAKE CHARLES, La. (KPLC) – The Louisiana Workforce Commission says 42 percent of all eligible unemployed adults in the state are not seeking employment.

The American Job Center, which has multiple locations in the five-parish region, hopes to change that statistic by providing free resources and getting people started on their job searches.

Crystal Scott, the local area coordinator for the American Job Center, says that searching for a job is itself a full-time job.

“We are able to see a person not know where to go, and then be able to help them maneuver through, getting those resources, and getting a job,” Scott said.

Resources available at the job center include one-on-one appointments with an expert to help job seekers prepare for interviews, build their resumes, and gain networking skills for job fairs.

“We even have some federal funding for those who qualify for job training programs. So if an individual wants to pursue post-secondary education, and if they are eligible, we may be able to assist them with books, tuition, and other supportive services,” Scott said in regards to some of the additional services that the job center offers.

One of the most recent frequent visitors to the job center is Cathrine Thomas, who has been looking for a job since recently moving back to Lake Charles.

“You have to commit to it. You have to be willing to do what it takes, to come get the information,” Thomas said.

Thomas said her age is a major hurdle for her when it comes to landing a job.

“I want people to know that just because we are older, doesn’t mean we have been put out of the pasture. We still have many talents and skills,” she says.

The American Job Center has helped Thomas by making her resume more experience-focused and that has helped her get some replies back.

Thomas encourages others to not give up on their job search.

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Louisiana

EPD reveals new details about deadly E. Louisiana St. shooting

Published

16 hours ago

July 22, 2024

Press Room

EPD reveals new details about deadly E. Louisiana St. shooting

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WFIE) – More information has started to come out about the shooting that left a man dead last week in Evansville.

Over the weekend, 54-year-old Martin Keith Miniard was arrested by police and brought in as the suspect of the shooting.

His warrant reveals more details about what happened that night on E. Louisiana Street.

Police say around 8 p.m. on July 17, a woman called 911 saying that she had come home and found a man inside who had been shot.

She told police she was allowing the victim, a 37-year-old homeless man named Joshua Seymour, to stay at her home.

According to the warrant, the woman then spoke with officers at EPD headquarters and told them she was in a relationship with the suspect.

The day of the murder, police say the woman had a heated argument with Miniard.

As she was leaving for a walk, Seymour allegedly walked through the backdoor of the home, which she says wasn’t unusual since he was staying there off-and-on.

While walking away from the home, the woman claims she heard a loud “boom”.

Officers say Miniard then came outside, told her to call an ambulance and drove away in his minivan.

A man who was inside the home during the incident told police Miniard shot the victim and then said, “I shot him”.

Martin Keith Miniard was arrested Saturday and booked into the Vanderburgh County Jail and charged with Murder.

He was arraigned Monday and the court put in a preliminary plea of not guilty.

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Louisiana

Louisiana Democratic delegates endorse Vice President Kamala Harris in late night meeting

Published

23 hours ago

July 22, 2024

Press Room

Louisiana Democratic delegates endorse Vice President Kamala Harris in late night meeting

Louisiana’s delegates to the Democratic National Convention officially endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the party’s nominee for president, the state’s Democratic Party chairman said following a virtual meeting late Sunday night.

Louisiana Democratic Party Chairman Randal Gaines said the delegates “by an overwhelming majority vote” are backing Harris during the convention Aug. 19-22 in Chicago.

Gaines didn’t release the vote count in a news release, but USA Today Network contacted six delegates individually who all said they support Harris after President Joe Biden withdrew from the race Sunday. Louisiana is sending 53 delegates to the convention.

“We are grateful to President Joe Biden for his remarkable leadership, and we are committed to honoring his legacy by working tirelessly this fall to keep the White House in Democratic hands,” Gaines said in the release. “I am proud to share that Louisiana’s Democratic delegates will join President Biden in endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris as our nominee.

“It’s time we come together, and by throwing our full support behind her, we can beat Donald Trump again and continue Joe Biden’s legacy of accomplishments and progress for our country. We look forward to a productive, energizing, and historic convention in which we nominate the first black woman as our Democratic nominee.”

Louisiana Congressman Troy Carter is the state’s only Democrat in Congress and a delegate to the convention.

“President Joe Biden’s legacy is a testament to his unwavering commitment to civil rights, voting rights, and the rule of law. His transformative leadership has empowered families in Louisiana and nationwide,” he said in a statement to USA Today Network. “We honor his substantial contributions, including the historic nomination of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson as the first African American woman to the Supreme Court. His selfless decision to pass the torch to Vice President Kamala Harris resonates deeply. I have every confidence in Vice President Kamala Harris to continue their great work.”

More: Here’s who Louisiana Democratic delegates support for president after Biden’s exit

Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1

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