Sulphur residents urge council to reject sale of wastewater-adjacent land to Lake Charles Methanol 2

Sulphur ' The Sulphur City Council on Monday introduced an ordinance that would authorize Mayor Mike Demenay to execute an agreement with Lake Charles Methanol 2 for property adjacent to the city's wastewater treatment plant, and dozens of residents urged the council not to proceed with a sale.

The introduction of ordinance 95-25 prompted more than an hour of public comment. Caroline Bauer, who lives on Mary Anne Drive, warned the project's backers have previously relied on large federal supports and could seek future tax waivers and clean-hydrogen credits, telling the council: "Please vote no." Bart Lubow of Maplewood pleaded for safety-first thinking, saying "there is nothing that we have seen to date that mitigates the risk that this pipeline poses" if a CO2 line were to leak.

Residents raised three recurring concerns: that selling the parcel would eliminate land needed to expand the regional wastewater plant serving West Calcasieu; that pipelines associated with the project pose accident and health risks; and that local tax revenue could be reduced if the company successfully seeks exemptions. Charlie Appleton, a Carlos-area resident, argued the plant is "10 years overdue" for expansion and said prior revenues from sewer haulers would cover the city's stated price for the land if the city instead developed a hauler transfer area.

Deborah Ramirez, CEO and president of Mossville Environmental Action Now, and other speakers who described long histories of local exposure to petrochemical infrastructure urged council members to block the deal on environmental-justice grounds. Several commenters also questioned whether a holding company's purchase now would remove municipal control permanently: "If we sell it, then we lose all control on what they're able to do on that particular property," Wendy Wingate said.

City staff told the council the administration believed the project might proceed "with or without us," and said it was responsible to evaluate any financially advantageous offer and bring it to the council. Council members moved to introduce ordinance 95-25 for consideration; the record shows motions, public comment and a recess called during the subsequent roll call sequence. The transcript does not record a final sale vote on the ordinance tonight.

Why it matters: The parcel sits adjacent to a critical regional wastewater facility that multiple residents say must be preserved to allow planned expansion and to accommodate hauler operations. Residents and advocacy groups also tied the local decision to wider federal subsidies, citing past DOE support and potential tax-credit programs that could affect where benefits and costs accrue.

What's next: Ordinance 95-25 was introduced and placed for council consideration. The council took public comment and recorded procedural votes and a recess; no final sale approval is recorded in the transcript. The matter will return to the council for further consideration under normal agenda or at a specially called meeting if scheduled.

Votes at a glance: The meeting record shows motions to introduce ordinance 95-25 were made and seconded and a roll-call sequence followed; the transcript logs members voting "no" during that roll call and then a recess was called. The transcript does not contain a completed final adoption vote on the sale.

Details and claims from the meeting: Residents referenced prior federal financing of earlier project versions and warned Lake Charles Methanol 2 could request tax waivers and credits; Caroline Bauer cited past DOE assistance and the possibility of a large federal subsidy stream for clean-hydrogen-style credits. Charlie Appleton and other residents emphasized preserving plant expansion capacity and past sewer-hauler revenue as local funding. Deborah Ramirez framed the opposition in historical environmental-justice terms.

The council also handled consent and other agenda items during the same meeting, including condemnations, a mobile-home variance, cooperative endeavor agreements for senior-center upgrades and fire hydrants, and an announced special meeting to finalize a wastewater grant application due Dec. 1.