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Iberia Parish leaders outline airport, roads and industrial updates; retail sales and unemployment figures cited
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Summary
Parish officials reported on road and airport projects, economic development activity and local metrics: March retail sales of $148,758,415.72, a 4.9% unemployment rate (Jan), and ongoing work to position the airport and ProgressPoint for industrial growth. The council also heard about Delta Biofuel equipment upgrades.
Parish administration and the Iberia Industrial Development Foundation presented a multi‑point economic and infrastructure update at the April 22 council meeting, highlighting airport connectivity projects, retail sales, employment and industrial investments.
Parish staff said work on Northside Road cross‑drain replacement is underway with milling to follow, and Hanger Drive drainage and subbase work continues as part of a multi‑phase extension to better connect Acadiana Regional Airport to Highway 3212. The Hanger Drive project phase cited an approximately $16 million price tag for the first phase, with a later roundabout planned in phase two.
Mike Tarantino, president and CEO of the Iberia Industrial Development Foundation, gave the quarterly economic report. He said Louisiana monthly rig counts were 41 in January 2026 and noted continued volatility in crude prices; February 2026 West Texas Intermediate was cited at $66.71 a barrel. Tarantino reported March retail sales in Iberia Parish at $148,758,415.72 and a January unemployment rate of 4.9 percent. He also highlighted that the Acadiana Regional Airport recorded about 3,460 operations in March and remains among the busiest in the state by operations.
Industrial updates included progress at the Port of Iberia and projects at ProgressPoint. Tarantino said the AVX expansion at the airport is being planned with a groundbreaking penciled for June 8. He also described Delta Biofuel, a bagasse pelletization plant, as operational but investing in additional equipment after initial grinding seasons revealed too much dirt in the feedstock; the company’s initial investment was described as about $100 million and Tarantino said the firm planned additional equipment investments estimated around $20 million to reach required product specifications and marketable BTU levels.
Council members and the president discussed a planned $60 million sewer collection project and the parish's use of TIP (Transportation Infrastructure Program) district funds; staff said roughly $10 million from the state may be available for that sewer project and that parish leaders will pursue federal and bonding options as well.
No formal votes were taken on these informational reports, but officials encouraged local businesses to register with the state’s SourceLouisiana procurement portal to pursue supplier opportunities on major projects.
