Sulphur council introduces lease ordinance for Lake Charles Methanol 2; residents urge ‘no’ over pipeline and pollution concerns

The Sulphur City Council on Nov. 10 introduced an ordinance authorizing the mayor to execute a lease agreement with Lake Charles Methanol 2 for city property adjacent to the wastewater treatment facility (Ordinance 94-25). Staff said the proposed lease would permit the company to use roughly 2.73 acres and carry an annual rent of $81,900; the staff presentation described the underlying municipal property as roughly 40 acres with the wastewater plant occupying about 15 acres and noted other leased parcels in the exhibit.

Council chair emphasized that the vote on the ordinance was introductory only: approval tonight would move the item to further review and a subsequent meeting for confirmation or denial, not constitute final disposition.

The meeting drew heavy public comment. Dozens of residents urged the council to oppose the proposal, repeatedly citing safety and environmental concerns about CO2 pipelines and industrial pollution. Speakers raised several specific claims and data points: that CO2 pipeline incidents in other areas have caused hospitalizations; that a proposed CO2 pipeline would run near homes, schools and churches; that the proposed facility could emit more than 350 tons per year of air pollutants; and that the surrounding census tracts have elevated cancer rates, citing the Louisiana Tumor Registry. Several commenters also cited ongoing state emergency status related to a local salt dome and urged the council to protect fisheries, wetlands and public health.

One resident, Danny DePetta, said his analysis favors municipal self-financing instead of leasing valuable acreage. Another, Sheila Bruce, asked and was told the lease term is 40 years with two 10-year extensions. Brady Labbe cited a Denbury-area incident he said sent 45 people to hospitals and described a CO2 leak figure; Molly McCarthy and other residents cited emissions estimates, and Cindy Robertson raised statutory notice concerns under Louisiana Revised Statutes RS 33:47.12 and asked where required advertisements and environmental surveys were posted.

City staff and consultants explained the site exhibit during the presentation and pointed out existing leased parcels (staff said LA Pigment currently leases about 12.3 acres nearby) and the area proposed for the Lake Charles Methanol 2 lease. Staff described the colored exhibit (green for the proposed lease area, red for purchase parcels and yellow for lay-down/parking) and said the arrangement would leave roughly five acres of raw land for municipal future use.

Procedurally, the council amended the agenda to move items 16 and 17 to the front, approved the amended agenda and approved an amendment to remove office supplies from item 25. The council also approved a short extension to a speaker’s time by motion. No final vote was taken on the lease ordinance; the item was introduced to permit further review, as the chair repeatedly explained.

Speakers and public commenters asked the council to require fuller environmental review and to ensure compliance with statutory notice and advertisement requirements for disposition of municipally owned property. Several speakers urged councilors to vote 'no' at the next meeting.

The ordinance remains at the introduction stage and will return for additional council review and a confirmation vote at a subsequent meeting.