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Residents urge jury not to give Gale Street to Venture Global as jurors approve temporary closure
Summary
At a July 30 special meeting, dozens of Cameron Parish residents told the police jury they oppose allowing Venture Global to control Gale Street; Venture Global said the temporary closure is for safety, and the jury approved a temporary closure while discussing conditions to protect landowner access.
At a July 30 special session, residents from Cameron Parish sharply criticized Venture Global’s request to temporarily close part of Gale Street and urged jurors not to grant the company long-term control.
Pat Rain, who identified himself as owner of Precision Industries, said he had not been consulted and accused the company of removing his cranes from a local worksite after he raised objections. "They did finally make me an offer, and we're countering offering them presently," Rain said, but added that the company’s prior action of removing equipment was "unethical business practice." Sarah Roy, a Venture Global representative, told the jury the closure is temporary and "for safety reasons so that we can move equipment to and from that southeast entrance to the yard on Beach Road." Jurors and staff repeatedly pressed for more technical details and said the company had not sent technical personnel to answer safety questions.
Multiple public commenters, including Brandon DeBarge, Julie DeBarge and BJ Cole, said Gale Street provides neighborhood access to a fishing pier and the beach and that granting the closure or exclusive use would harm residents. "Why are we just giving, give, give, and get nothing but misery and negative... for this community?" Brandon DeBarge said, arguing the county should withhold the street until Venture Global provides clearer commitments on access and future plans.
Legal counsel and staff told the jury it could make any temporary closure conditional on Venture Global guaranteeing property access for owners and tenants and recommended excluding any segment under state maintenance (DOTD). After debate about whether the closure should be for one year or two, a juror moved and the motion was seconded; the meeting record shows the jury took a roll-call vote and recorded the motion as approved. The record and staff advised that the parish lacks authority to temporarily close DOTD-maintained segments and that any motion should carve those sections out.
The jury’s vote will be followed by staff work to clarify the motion’s geographic limits and the conditions under which a closure could be withdrawn if Venture Global does not meet access commitments.
