WALLACE, La. (WVUE) – Greenfield Louisiana announced Tuesday (Aug. 6) that it was giving up on its plans to build a proposed $800 million grain export facility in St. John The Baptist Parish.
In a statement issued by a New Orleans public relations firm, the company blamed the failure of the proposed Wallace Grain Export Facility on continued permitting delays by the US Army Corps of Engineers, which first began examining the project in 2021.
“Despite usually approving similar projects in the region in six months time, the US Army Corps of Engineers has continued to modify and extend the review process for the Wallace Grain Export Facility, which filed for permits nearly three years ago,” the statement said. “Last week, the Corps pushed back the timeline it needed to reach a decision on the project by a further six months to March 2025 — the fifth such delay in the last 18 months — reversing recent commitments to resolve the application expeditiously.”
The Corps could not be reached for comment on the claim Tuesday night.
Louisiana judge seeks more time to rule on grain terminal vote near Whitney Plantation
The Louisiana Illuminator reported last October that the Corp was conducting a detailed environmental review of the project, which proposed to build a grain terminal and elevator in an historic Black community around the Whitney Plantation. Greenfield wanted to build 54 grain silos and a conveyor nearly as tall as the 305-foot Statue of Liberty less than a half-mile from the plantation.
The Illuminator report said the Corps identified 20 historic properties within the project’s area of potential effects and found the project would adversely impact five of them: Whitney Plantation, Evergreen Plantation, Willow Grove Cemetery and the wider Whitney Plantation Historic District in St. John Parish; and Oak Alley Plantation in St. James Parish. Most of the properties are either National Historic Landmarks or listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
It said Willow Grove Cemetery, which contains the burial sites of slaves and their descendants, was just 300 feet from the proposed construction site.
Attorney Lynda Van Davis, counsel and head of external affairs for Greenfield, said in the company’s statement, “Time kills all projects and, sadly, the US Army Corps of Engineers chose to repeatedly delay this project by catering to these special interest groups when it should have been listening to local voices from our community.
“Today, we are regrettably no closer to an answer in the Corps’ review process than we were when we filed permits three years ago. The repeated delays and goal-post moving we have faced have finally become untenable.”
Dr. Joy Banner and Jo Banner, sisters and co-founders of The Descendants Project who opposed the project in their community, celebrated the announcement.
“We’ve fought for three long years to save the community, way of life, and heritage we love,” they said in a statement. “Now, the real work begins. We look forward to working with the community to heal, preserve and build a healthy, bright future together.
“We want to thank our attorneys, supporters, and community members for trusting and fighting alongside us.”
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Publish date : 2024-08-06 15:43:00
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