Project representative urges board to back Strategic Biofuels carbon‑capture fuels project; board votes unanimously

A project representative asked the Caldwell Parish School Board to adopt a resolution supporting Strategic Biofuels LLC and Louisiana Green Fuels LLC and described an integrated bio‑refinery and carbon‑sequestration project that the presenter said would likely exceed $4 billion in capital cost.

The presenter told the board the plan converts forestry thinnings into sustainable aviation fuel, pairs the refinery with an on‑site biomass power plant to minimize fossil fuel electricity use, and captures CO2 from both the fuel production and power generation streams to compress and permanently inject it into Class VI wells more than a mile underground. "When you combine all of these things ... it takes [the carbon intensity] all the way down to minus 294," the presenter said, arguing that the facility would be among the most deeply carbon‑negative liquid‑fuel producers in the world. The presenter also said one revenue stream for the project would be low‑carbon fuel credits under California's program and that the product would be shipped to California by rail.

Board members asked questions about permits, timelines and local impacts. The presenter said the team filed a Class VI permit application in March 2023 and that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency had transferred oversight to the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources (after a completeness review), placing the project among an early subgroup of transferred applications likely to advance into technical review early next year. The presenter said an environmental‑justice impact report was completed for submission and that a public hearing would likely be held in the spring once a draft permit is issued.

Supporters emphasized local economic benefits in construction and operations: the presenter estimated the construction period could create an average of about 635 jobs during a roughly three‑year build and said operations and higher tax valuation could substantially boost Caldwell Parish's property and sales tax base. The presenter said the project team expects to pursue Department of Energy loan financing to cover a large share of development costs and that reaching a final investment decision (FID) could take about a year and a half, followed by roughly three years of construction.

After discussion, a board member moved to adopt the provided resolution of support. The motion passed unanimously. The roll call as recorded in the meeting transcript was: Mr. Gary — yes; Mr. Randy — yes; Miss Melinda — yes; Miss Maria — yes; (member name not fully captured) — yes; Mr. Baron — yes; Mr. John — yes. The presenter asked that the board’s resolution accompany the project's environmental‑justice material when submitted to state reviewers.

Next steps noted by the presenter included public engagement in Caldwell Parish, submission of supplemental environmental materials to state regulators in Baton Rouge, and a possible public hearing in the first quarter following a draft permit. The presenter said the project team will return to the community with visuals and additional briefings.

The board did not take any regulatory action; the resolution is a statement of local support to accompany the project's permit and outreach materials.