Study the Infrastructure FIRST

 

paraphrase St Bernard Parish Councilmember

anybody who's worked on a port knows the amount of traffic that exists for a port

and anyone who's worked on a port knowns the congestion that exists on a port

and recognizing that there was going to be a very strong - to put it lightly - push to bring this complex to St Bernard Parish

the first thing said [to the port of New Orleans] was we don't have the infrastructure to support this

we don't even have near the infrastructure to support this

and the council member asked the port for a very specific piece of infrastructure if the port was even going to consider it

The port was told they needed to create "Florida Avenue" with road and rail all the way from Florida Avenue (in New Orleans Ninth Ward) to the back side of the proposed project (in Violet, St Bernard Parish) if this was even going to be a consideration by the council member

And there's a good reason for that

Because the rail roads in St Bernard Parish go through our neighborhoods

So the homes that people buy, the rail roads and the trains go right next door to the houses, rattle the homes when the trains pass at night

And if you think we have rail traffic now, the magnitude upon which the port is talking about bringing to St Bernard Parish and the size of this container terminal would be laughable

Your talking about absolute gridlock crossing our highways

Gridlock through our neighborhoods

You would never be able to sleep (and we don't sleep now)

And that's just with the current rail traffic that we have now

And I respect the business opinion that I'm assuming some of the people (attending the council meeting) here that are in support of the port are going to speak about

With that said, this would be an absolute tragedy if it were built as is 

And I asked the port to go into the environmental study first on the infrastructure

First !

Don't buy the property first, don't do the other environmental first, don't rail road it down our throats first

Go to infrastructure first

That's not what has happened here

The port of New Orleans has done everything in opposition here from what the council member asked

Which means 

--- in some's opinion could be a great amenity and potential economic catalyst in St Bernard Parish

but for this council member 

 -- It would be a great detriment because we do not -- contrary to what the port says -- have the infrastructure to support this

Not even close

United We Stand Against PONO Proposal

 

The Razing Tide of the Port of New Orleans: 

Power, Ideology, Economic Growth, and the Destruction of Community
Brian Lloyd Azcona    2006 University of Kansas

https://kuscholarworks.ku.edu/bitstream/handle/1808/5216/STARV27A4.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

"The historical analysis focuses on the political power and ideological discourses of the growth coalition that ruled the port through a non-elected board known as the Dock Board. The author argues that business elites affiliated with the board remade the built environment in their own interest without consideration of the local communities."

Fastforward to the current scheme arranged between the Port of New Orleans and St. Bernard Port for yet another built environment for business elites at the cost of our community. Initial community presentations alluded to increased exports of plastics from upriver plants and the post Panamax vessels as reasons for the expansion. Yet, other alternatives exist for Louisiana to grow in the future maritime and shipping industry without destruction of Violet and St. Bernard Parish. See LIGTT The Louisiana International Deep Water Gulf Transfer Terminal and PPHTD Port of Plaquemines 

Infrastructure projects should not create fence line neighborhoods; this type of massive development in Violet, Louisiana can not exist without irreversible harm to the human environment, and, because of the environmental justice and economic inequity issues, it should not be approved; not for Coastal Use permitting, not for Federal Infrastructure Bill funding, not for State tax dollars, not for grants. Caution is advised as the scheme's finances may be dependent on tenant leases subject to St Bernard Port's financial shoring through local ad valorem tax measures that locals are not likely to approve or renew. 

"The parish we know and love is about to be buried under two million containers trucked across our narrow roads. It’s the beginning of PROFIT for them. But it’s the end of PEACE for us." --- SOS Save Our St. Bernard  

https://sostbernard.org/
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Mission of SOS Save St Bernard

 OPPOSE Port NOLA’s construction of the Louisiana International Terminal (LIT) in St. Bernard Parish.  The magnitude of destruction will transform our small historic community into an industrial wasteland. 

Port NOLA and St. Bernard Parish Port refuse to provide: 

• Factual information and transparency
• Related research, data or evidence indicating the negative effects of people, wildlife, wetlands, and communities
• Any research, data or evidence that LIT will benefit our residents, wildlife, wetlands, or Parish 

Louisiana International Terminal (LIT) will:

• Negatively affect health, safety, and wellbeing of all St. Bernard Parish residents
• Result in the loss of more than 350 acres of wetlands, which our parish depends on for: flood protection, drainage, protection of wildlife, and the preservation of our region’s natural beauty
• Utilize 1100+ acres for development and related operations
• Generate unprecedented and insupportable port related industrial traffic that will: burden residential roads not rated for heavy freight, create hazardous driving conditions, restrict evacuation efforts, and cause structural damage to residential homes and businesses
• Create significant noise pollution without adequate buffer zones from port site, rail, road, and ship traffic
• Bring: 5000+ 18 wheelers daily, cargo ships carrying 23,000 TEU’s, and additional trains and constructed railways. Which, will produce harmful emissions, chemical exposure, hazardous materials inherent to the transporting and storage of containers
• Bring 3 million+ containers to the LIT site annually 
• Create new industrial warehousing sites throughout St. Bernard Parish in addition to LIT site
• Cause catastrophic harm to: health and mental health of our residents (In particular-children, elderly, and those with pre-existing and underlying health and mental health conditions), and may contribute to long-term diseases such as cancer, respiratory illnesses, and other ailments. 
• Target a predominantly African American neighborhood in Violet, LA, which will force the relocation of a historic black school and disrupt the sanctity and tranquility of a historic African American cemetery
• Not adequately provide long-term economic gains or significant tax revenue from the port site
• Decrease property values in residential neighborhoods
• Impact a state road designated a scenic byway by the United States Department of Transportation and impede the safe travel, commute, and evacuation of our residents as well as those in Plaquemines Parish
• Negatively affect tourism and tourism related businesses
• Result in the permanent relocation of residents and businesses