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State board OKs ITEP breaks for ‘blue’ ammonia, ‘green’ methanol plants

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State board OKs ITEP breaks for ‘blue’ ammonia, ‘green’ methanol plants


The Louisiana Board of Commerce and Industry on Wednesday approved property tax breaks for a trio of industrial projects that, should they come to fruition, aim to reduce the state’s carbon footprint.

St. Charles Clean Fuels, a $4.6 billion “blue” ammonia plant set to be built in St. Charles Parish on land owned by New Orleans-based International-Matex Tank Terminals, won a pair of Industrial Tax Exemption Program contracts that would provide a combined break of roughly $46 million in their first year, according to data from the board’s agenda.

Meanwhile, SunGas Renewables’ $1.8 billion “green” methanol plant slated for the old International Paper facility in Pineville was greenlighted for an ITEP contract that would offer a $29.2 million break in its first year.

Element 25, an Australian mining company, earned a break for its proposed $211 million electric vehicle battery material plant in Ascension Parish. Its estimated ITEP break is nearly $2.6 million in the contract’s first year.

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Given the fluctuating nature of property values, Board of Commerce and Industry agendas only offer estimates for the first year of tax relief for ITEP contracts up for board approval.

All three projects are in various stages of development.

Officials behind St. Charles Clean Fuels are planning on making a final investment decision on the plant in early 2024 and beginning construction later that year, with an eye on 2027 for initial operation. SunGas Renewables is expecting a final investment decision by August 2024 and also hopes to begin commercial operations by 2027.

Meanwhile, Element 25 has already completed a feasibility study for prospective sites and expects to make a final decision on the plant’s location in the coming months. Construction could start in the third quarter with operations beginning in 2026.

St. Charles Clean Fuels would produce up to 8,000 metric tons per day of “blue” ammonia, or ammonia produced using carbon capture to mitigate its carbon dioxide emissions.

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The SunGas Renewables plant is expected to make nearly 400,000 metric tons per year of “green” methanol, a variety of the clear chemical made using carbon dioxide and either biomass or renewable electricity.

Element 25’s plant would be the first in the Western Hemisphere to manufacture high purity manganese sulphate monohydrate, or HPMSM, a component that can lead to better lifespans and charging times in electric vehicle batteries.

Chalmette refinery gets a break

The board also OK’d a Quality Jobs break for a $794 million expansion at the Chalmette Refining facility in St. Bernard Parish. The Quality Jobs program offers rebates for companies that create new, high-paying jobs.

Chalmette Refining, owned by PBF Energy, was given a roughly $9 million sales and use tax rebate and a $2.1 million payroll rebate over 10 years.

The project is expected to create 38 permanent jobs over 10 years at a roughly $35.8 million total payroll. In addition to new jobs, the expansion is slated to include new equipment such as refinery pumps, motors and exchangers, among other things.

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What’s the latest forecast for snow, ice, freezing temperatures across Louisiana?

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What’s the latest forecast for snow, ice, freezing temperatures across Louisiana?


People in parts of Louisiana can “confidently” expect 4 to 6 inches of snow Tuesday with up to 10 inches in some isolated areas, meteorologists said on a Sunday afternoon call with Gov. Jeff Landry and parish presidents.

Most of the heaviest snowfall will blanket areas in the Interstate 10 corridor beginning after midnight Monday entering western Louisiana in Lake Charles and moving through Lafayette and then Baton Rouge with accumulations forecast south of I-10 to New Orleans and north to Alexandria.

Northern Louisiana cities along the I-20 corridor from Shreveport to Ruston to Monroe may avoid any snow or ice in the current forecast, but the entire state will suffer frigid low temperatures in the high teens or 20s that will likely extend through Thursday.

Landry said snow and ice will create treacherous travel conditions in regions where there are accumulations and plunging temperatures could create water pressure and delivery problems throughout the state.

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“This is not one of the fun snow events,” Landry said on the call. “It’s a hard freeze event that will be complicated by snowfall.”

Landry has already declared a statewide weather emergency to allow the state to provide direct state assistance at the parish level ahead of the storm.

He has also closed all state offices Tuesday and suggested Sunday those closures could be extended through Wednesday depending on the forecast and Tuesday’s snowfall.

Danielle Manning of the National Weather Service in Slidell said the latest forecast provides “high confidence for a snow or wintry mix Tuesday in the southern part of the state.”

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“It’s going to get progressively worse Tuesday and linger into Wednesday,” she said. “Any melting will refreeze Wednesday so the travel impacts could last through Thursday.”

Louisiana Climatologist Jay Grymes agreed, saying there will be a “broad swath of 4 inches plus” of snow along the I-10 corridor.

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



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'Coming Home': LSU's Textile & Costume Museum honors Louisiana-born fashion legend – Reveille

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'Coming Home': LSU's Textile & Costume Museum honors Louisiana-born fashion legend – Reveille


When one thinks about luxury fashion, Louisiana might not be the first place that comes to mind. An LSU museum is showcasing how a fashion designer from Louisiana became an American fashion legend.
The LSU Textile & Costume Museum is currently exhibiting fashion designer Geoffrey Beene’s award-winning work. As visitors shuffle through the museum, there are four decades of craftsmanship and art waiting to meet them. The walls of the museum display information about Beene with his sketches, designs and photos.
“Beene eschewed fashion as a trend and instead approached dressing as an artful expression and perhaps even a divine representation of female beauty,” the exhibit reads.
Hailing from Louisiana and trained in Paris, the exhibit shares Beene’s story.
“Mr. Beene was originally from Hainesville, Louisiana, which is a tiny, one stoplight town in the northern part of the state,” said Michael E. Mamp, the museum’s director and curator. “And he went on to be one of the most successful American fashion designers of all time.”

Courtesy of the LSU Textile and Costume Museum

The exhibit touches on every aspect of Beene’s career, from his affinity for polka dots to his use of florals, lace, line and shape. In one part of the exhibit, Beene’s southern heritage is spotlighted through the dresses and ensembles he designed.
All of the garments in the exhibit were donated to the LSU Textile & Costume Museum by Dr. Sylvia R. Karasu, a fan and long-time collector of Beene’s work. She donated 254 pieces with the hope that some of Beene’s work would be preserved in his home state.
Mamp discussed how museum visitors should look at Beene’s unique work, saying they “… have to look closely at the details because he was so focused on excellent craftsmanship, beautiful fabrications, finishing garments in a way that is really more akin to couture versus manufactured ready to wear.”
“He wasn’t interested in necessarily being fashioned forward,” Mamp said, “but just wanted to make beautiful, timeless clothes that people could wear over and over again.”
Mamp explained Beene’s legacy came from how well he constructed his clothes, saying the designer took “high end” approaches to fashion.
“Beautiful silk linings, attached petticoats underneath the skirt,” Mamp said. “Things that outwardly people wouldn’t see, but that make wearing the garment special for the person who puts it on.”

Courtesy of the LSU Textile and Costume Museum

Mamp hopes students leave the museum understanding Beene’s dedication to creating fashionable pieces without compromising quality.
“Beene’s ability to be successful, his commitment and dedication to making beautiful clothes. He never really compromised his standards in that regard,” Mamp said. “It is a testament, I think, to students about what one can achieve if they want it badly enough, and if they work hard enough at it.”
“Coming Home: Geoffrey Beene” will close Jan. 24. The Textile & Costume Museum keeps hundreds of textile and fashion artifacts, preserving and creating space for centuries of human art and clothing. Their next exhibit, “Color Me Fashion,” will open on March 16. Admission to the museum is free.



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Arch Manning’s High School Coach Is Moving From Louisiana to Georgia

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Arch Manning’s High School Coach Is Moving From Louisiana to Georgia


A new coach hiring in the state of Georgia has officially taken place. Nelson Stewart from Newman High School in New Orleans is on the move and will be the new head coach at Westminster High School in the Peach State.

Stewart was Newman’s head coach for 19 seasons, winning a total of 162 wins in his time there.

He is mostly known by football fans as the high school head coach of Arch Manning, the nephew of NFL legends Peyton and Eli Manning, and currently a quarterback at the University of Texas. Stewart’s connection to the Mannings runs even deeper as was a high school teammate of Peyton. He has also coached standout wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr who is known mostly for his time in New York with the Giants and his fantastic one-handed catch.

Westminster was in need of a new coach following a below .500 season and the retirement of Gerry Romberg after his 33rd season coaching with the Class 4A team. Westminster finished the 2024 season at 5-6. With the talent of Stewart, one would believe that the record could improve even from the first season.

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