November 13, 2020
Though U.S. Corps Permit Temporarily Suspended, FG Remains Committed to The Sunshine Project in St. James Parish
ST. JAMES, LA — Affirming its commitment to The Sunshine Project and St. James Parish, FG LA LLC (FG) responded today to recent developments regarding a permit the project received in 2019 from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The Sunshine Project is FG’s $9.4 billion industrial complex planned for St. James Parish’s West Bank. The project is expected to create approximately 8,000 construction jobs at peak and 1,200 permanent jobs over the next eight years. Once completed, the project will make the building blocks found in everyday products that help make our lives safer, healthier, cleaner and more efficient.
Last week, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers asked the U.S. District Court in Washington, DC to pause current litigation deadlines over one of FG's permits for the project so the Corps could further review certain portions of its permit analysis. The Corps stated in its motion that the purpose was to reevaluate certain portions of its analysis, consistent with its regulations. FG's permit was not suspended by the Corps at that time, as groups opposed to the project had claimed.
Today, the Corps clarified its intent to re-evaluate portions of FG’s permit, and informed FG that activities under the permit are temporarily suspended during this period of re-evaluation.
Janile Parks, FG LA LLC director of community and government relations, issued the following statement today on behalf of FG and The Sunshine Project:
"On November 4, 2020, FG LA LLC received notice from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers it is reopening its evaluation of certain aspects of the permit issued to FG’s Sunshine Project in St. James Parish on September 5, 2019. The Corps previously stated in its November 4, 2020 court filing that 'a portion of its permit analysis related to the Corps’ alternatives analysis under the Clean Water Act requires re-evaluation.' This notice is required by Corps regulations to allow the re-evaluation.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has now informed FG that activities under the permit for The Sunshine Project in St. James Parish are temporarily suspended during this period of re-evaluation. FG is disappointed with the Corps' decision to temporarily suspend the permit during its re-evaluation. FG expects and sincerely hopes the Corps will handle this matter in an objective, impartial and expeditious manner so the permit analysis will be even stronger once the re-evaluation of the analysis is complete. Temporary suspension during permit re-evaluation is a common practice utilized by the Corps and FG fully expects the suspension will be lifted, and the permits reinstated, after completion of the re-evaluation.
FG will cooperate with the Corps on an orderly suspension of permitted activities pending the Corps’ re-evaluation. The Corps indicates that some activities may be allowed to continue as necessary to stabilize project site integrity or otherwise prevent adverse impacts during the re-evaluation. FG has worked cooperatively with the Corps throughout the permit process and will continue to cooperate with them to provide any additional information they may need from FG. The company has been very diligent to make sure it has done everything required to ensure proper issuance of, and compliance with, its permits and will continue to do so.”
"At FG, safety is our culture and we are committed to protecting the environment. FG will continue to follow all rules and regulations set forth by federal and state agencies and will continue to work to build a brighter future for the people who live and work in St. James Parish and across Louisiana,” added Parks.
Shortly after announcing The Sunshine Project in April 2018, FG began reaching out to stakeholders and the local community and has maintained open communication and outreach with project stakeholders, St. James Parish residents, local ministers, educators, workforce leaders and others to seek feedback and address questions and concerns as the project moves forward. "While we recognize there are some who are doing everything they can to stop progress in the parish, including spreading fear and confusion about The Sunshine Project, FG will continue to invite cooperation and truth as well as listen to and work with the St. James community to address real concerns,” concluded Parks.
Additional information on The Sunshine Project can be found at www.SunshineProjectLA.com.
###
About FG LA LLC: 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.
The Sunshine Project is FG’s $9.4 billion industrial complex planned for St. James Parish. The project is expected to create thousands of construction jobs and 1,200 permanent jobs over the next eight years. In early January 2020, FG received the permits needed to begin construction of The Sunshine Project. Once constructed, the project will be one of the most innovative, single-site ethylene production complexes in the world and will make the plastic building blocks found in everyday products that help make our lives safer, healthier, cleaner and more efficient. FG’s products also help make life-saving PPE (personal protective equipment), including N95 and surgical masks needed in the fight against COVID-19. Demand for these products is expected to increase over time, and The Sunshine Project will continue to help meet that demand.