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Lake Charles Methanol 2 seeks right-of-entry to survey Sulphur land; residents raise air, wetland and wastewater concerns
Summary
Lake Charles Methanol 2 requested a right-of-entry agreement to conduct surveys and studies on city-owned property near By UDN Road. Residents raised environmental and neighborhood-impact concerns; company representatives said permitting is underway and that current action only authorizes site study, not a lease or development agreement.
The Sulphur City Council approved a right-of-entry agreement allowing Lake Charles Methanol 2 (LCM) to enter city property at 3400 By UDN Road to perform studies and surveys, including soil borings, environmental assessments and route surveys (Resolution 25-25).
The request prompted extended public comment. Resident Cindy Robertson said the packet provided to council members lacked legible maps and full information about the project and urged the council to delay any approvals until residents could review the materials. "There’s not enough information in the resolution to allow the community to understand what Lake Charles Methanol 2 is doing and where," Robertson said.
Several residents tied the proposal to broader concerns about industrial development in the area. A speaker asked whether a CO2 pipeline would run through Sulphur and urged the council to consider potential air-quality and floodplain impacts, noting existing wetland losses and proximity to the municipal wastewater-treatment plant.
A company representative, John McDaniel, identified himself as an engineering consultant working with the methanol effort and said the project has existing permits with the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality under the Lake Charles Methanol 2 name and that a lease with the Port of Lake Charles is already in place for adjacent property. McDaniel told the council the current request is limited to studying an adjacent parcel to evaluate constructability and potential expansion.
Council discussion highlighted the limited scope of the right-of-entry request. Staff and legal counsel said the action authorizes LCM to perform studies; if the company later seeks a lease or other long-term use, the council would receive a separate proposal that would include terms, compensation and additional protections for the city.
The draft agreement presented to council members includes indemnification language and a list of permitted activities such as clearing, trimming or removing vegetation and performing borings. The council and residents discussed those provisions and asked staff to confirm whether the company’s work could affect wetlands, drainage, or city infrastructure.
After public comment and council questions, the council amended and approved the right-of-entry authorization, noting that the step does not grant a lease and that any future lease or easement would require a separate council decision.
