July 09, 2019
Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality Holds Public Hearing for FG Air Permit
FG highlights impact The Sunshine Project will bring to St. James Parish and Louisiana
Vacherie, La. --- The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality air permit hearing on behalf of FG LA LLC’s Sunshine Project was held this evening at the West Bank Reception Hall in Vacherie. This public hearing was the next step in the approval process for the proposed $9.4 billion ethylene complex slated for the West Bank of St. James Parish.
Located downriver from the Sunshine Bridge, The Sunshine Project will be constructed in two phases. Phase I is scheduled to be completed in 2024 and phase II by 2029. The project would produce polyethylene, polypropylene, polymers and ethylene glycol that will be used to make plastic products we use everyday. The project would create $500 million in local spending, 8,000 construction jobs at peak, 1,200 permanent new jobs with an average salary of $84,500 plus benefits. Approximately $5.6 billion in products per year would be shipped from the facility, making it the largest economic generator in the area and constituting a full two percent of Louisiana’s entire volume of shipped products. Pending the completion and approval of permits for the project, FG could begin construction as soon as 2019 in what is estimated to be a 10-year building and development process.
“A significant investment comes with equally significant commitments. FG is committed to protecting the health and safety of its employees and the community as well as the environment. FG has demonstrated that The Sunshine Project will be designed and engineered to minimize emissions and meet all applicable national ambient air standards, including all emissions standards,” said Janile Parks, Director of Community and Government Relations, FG LA LLC.
The Sunshine Project will be constructed and operated to meet all state and federal standards. Located in an area designated for industrial use, FG will use process technology that captures and reuses process materials and will use the Best Available Control Technology and the Maximum Achievable Control Technology to reduce emissions to the extent possible. FG also conducted extensive emissions modeling which showed that the facility will meet all National Ambient Air Quality Standards for air pollutants and will not cause or contribute to violations of these standards. FG is committed to protecting the health and safety of its employees and the community as well as the environment.
FG is also invested in the local community. Over the last year, the company has implemented community programs that align with education, health, safety and environment. For example, FG has partnered with Saint Louis Academy, Sixth Ward and Vacherie Elementary to provide 768 non-perishable food boxes of free meals and snacks to students in need. FG also provided food boxes to more than 750 senior citizens at four senior centers in St. James Parish.
“As soon as FG announced the project, we began investing locally, demonstrating that the company’s commitment extends beyond property boundaries to every corner of the parish. This is a new approach to community outreach and I’m proud to be part of it,” added Ms. Parks.
FG’s commitment to local education on the West Bank has been comprehensive - from investing in STEAM education grants and providing educational field trips, to hosting in-service training sessions for teachers. FG is also working on initiatives to address local concerns, including widening improvements and new travel lanes for Highway 3127; partnering to fund an alternative access route linking Highway 18 and Highway 3127; improving the District 5 community park; decreasing current drainage rates with additional ditches, culverts and retention ponds; and putting protective measures in place to prevent any potential release, such as plastic pellets, waterways.
“FG has already begun demonstrating its sincere commitment to this community. Since I began this journey nearly two years ago we have invested in St. James Parish, we have put in some hard work, and we are prepared for more hard work ahead. We are committed to constructing and operating a safe facility and to being a good corporate citizen. I am truly excited about the future and what this project will mean for our neighbors and for our company,” concluded Ms. Parks.
To learn more about FG’s Sunshine Project, visit SunshineProjectLA.com.
About FG and Formosa Plastics Group
FG LA LLC (FG) is a member of Formosa Plastics Group (Formosa), a Taiwanese-based conglomerate founded in 1954. Formosa has over 100,000 employees worldwide with locations in the USA, Taiwan, China, Vietnam, Philippines and Indonesia. Formosa’s major businesses are oil refining, petrochemicals, plastics, fibers, textiles, electronics, energy, steel, transportation, machinery, healthcare and biotech. Like Formosa, FG has a deep commitment to social, environmental and safety performance and will keep the community updated and informed as The Sunshine Project moves forward. FG is listening to local concerns and developing programs that meet real community needs. FG’s outreach focuses on four key pillars of need expressed by the community: environment, safety, health and education.