November 18, 2020
FG LA LLC Responds to 19th Judicial District Court Proceedings
ST. JAMES, LA — In 19th Judicial District Court proceedings today in Baton Rouge, presiding Judge Trudy M. White heard a motion by an opponent of the Title V air permits issued to FG LA LLC’s project in St. James Parish by the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (RISE St. James v. LDEQ). However, the Court chose not to rule on the motion before it – specific to data assessed by LDEQ regarding the air permit it awarded to FG – and instead, ruled on the merits of the air permit as a whole.
As a result of the Court’s decision today, FG’s air permits issued by the LDEQ will be sent back to the agency for additional consideration. The permits will not be suspended during this period.
FG received its air permits from the LDEQ in January 2020. After thorough analysis of FG’s permit application, the LDEQ found the proposed project met all state and federal standards designed to protect the health and safety of FG employees, the St. James community and the environment with an added margin of safety. FG has been, and will continue to be, transparent in providing information on The Sunshine Project, and intends to construct and operate it to meet all state and federal standards.
On October 6, 2020, representatives for the Tulane Environmental Law Clinic on behalf of intervenor Beverly Alexander, filed a motion with the 19th Judicial District Court case (RISE St. James v. LDEQ) seeking to add documents into the administrative record. FG and LDEQ filed opposition (October 20, 2020) to the intervenor's motion. The motion came on for hearing today.
The following statement regarding the outcome of today’s hearing is attributable to Janile Parks, director of community and government relations for FG LA LLC:
"Today’s proceedings were expected to be a straightforward matter to consider whether certain additional data should have been included in the record of the air permit application submitted by FG. What transpired appeared to be well beyond that. The Court appears to have ruled on the merits of the case before all parties in the matter – including FG and LDEQ – had filed briefs detailing the facts. FG and LDEQ were not scheduled to file briefs in the matter until December 15, 2020.
The LDEQ properly performed its duty to protect the environment in the issuance of the air permits. The issues raised in the plaintiff's motion were fully addressed by LDEQ and the department employed proper procedure in the consideration and granting of the permits to FG. The permits the agency issued to FG by LDEQ are sound. FG intends to explore all legal options.”
Additional information on The Sunshine Project can be found at www.SunshineProjectLA.com.
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About FG LA LLC: FG LA LLC (FG) is a member of Formosa Plastics Group (Formosa), a Taiwanese based conglomerate founded in 1954. Formosa has over 100,000 employees worldwide with locations in the USA, Taiwan, China, Vietnam, Philippines and Indonesia. Formosa’s major businesses are oil refining, petrochemicals, plastics, fibers, textiles, electronics, energy, steel, transportation, machinery, healthcare and biotech.
The Sunshine Project is FG’s $9.4 billion industrial complex planned for St. James Parish. The project is expected to create thousands of construction jobs and 1,200 permanent jobs over the next eight years. In early January 2020, FG received the permits needed to begin construction of The Sunshine Project. Once constructed, the project will be one of the most innovative, single-site ethylene production complexes in the world and will make the plastic building blocks found in everyday products that help make our lives safer, healthier, cleaner and more efficient. FG’s products also help make life-saving PPE (personal protective equipment), including N95 and surgical masks needed in the fight against COVID-19. Demand for these products is expected to increase over time, and The Sunshine Project will continue to help meet that demand.