A new energy plant in Plaquemines brings thousands of jobs, but some worry the companies tax breaks will affect the community.
PLAQUEMINES PARISH, La. — In the near future, a significant portion of the world’s energy will come from Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, according to state and federal leaders. At the heart of this energy revolution is a massive Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) plant currently being built in Port Sulphur along the Mississippi River.
The plant, which Venture Global is developing, is progressing in three phases, with the third phase just recently announced. As the facility takes shape, local leaders and officials are highlighting the job opportunities it is creating. They emphasize that the construction and eventual operation of the plant will provide significant employment for the community and contribute to the state’s economy.
“Drilling equals jobs,” Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry says. “These are the jobs drilling creates right here,” he said as he pointed towards a crowd helping construct the plant.
According to Venture Global’s CEO, around 6,000 workers are employed at the Plaquemines site, with tens of thousands more spread across Louisiana.
However, not everyone is celebrating the plant’s progress. While it brings jobs, some residents and advocates are concerned about the long-term economic impact on the community, particularly regarding the tax breaks the company is receiving. According to a report by the Sierra Club, a well-known conservation advocacy group, the LNG plant could avoid paying hundreds of millions of dollars in taxes over the next decade due to its participation in the Industrial Tax Exemption Program (ITEP).
Governor Landry acknowledges the tax breaks but assures that plans are in place to ensure the community receives the necessary resources. “We’re sitting at the table with the stakeholders and said ok listen let’s be fair to everyone because the sheriff is going to have strained resources, the school system, how can we coexist in that,” he said.
Governor Landry emphasizes that job growth and tax revenue can go hand in hand, pointing out that Louisiana’s energy industry wants workers to come and settle in the state.
“They want those workers to come to Louisiana to stay here and their families to be here, they want the educational system to be strong, they want public safety to be strong, so we’ve been able to marry those two.”
Mike Sabel, the CEO of Venture Global, insists that the company has been contributing taxes directly to Plaquemines Parish. He states that, since the construction began, the company has paid several hundred million dollars in local taxes directly to the Parish.
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