GONZALES, La. — Livingston Parish Councilman Dean Coates was the only elected official to speak at a Louisiana DEQ hearing in Gonzales this week, joining residents and parents in opposition to a Major Source Permit for Air Products' proposed Louisiana Clean Energy Complex, while industry representatives and some local residents spoke in favor of the project.
The project's headquarters would be located in Ascension Parish, with a pipeline routing carbon for storage under Lake Maurepas, which is part of the area Coates represents.
"This project is expensive, unproven, and prioritizes corporate profits over the ecology of the lake and the wetlands, and over people's personal rights to their properties," Coates said.
Joining Coates in opposition were several residents of Pelican Point subdivision and parents of children attending Sorrento Elementary, both of which are within a few miles of the proposed pipeline leading to Lake Maurepas.
Several Pelican Point residents voiced their displeasure with the subdivision being in what they labeled the "kill zone." Speakers also referenced a 2020 incident in Satartia, Mississippi, where a ruptured carbon dioxide pipeline led to multiple hospitalizations and a delay in emergency response because vehicle ignitions were non-functional due to oxygen displacement.
"These are not hypothetical dangers. These are recent, documented, and there's a lot more," said Cathy Maddox, a resident of The Greens, Pelican Point's 55+ community. "I am deeply alarmed not only by the threat of the pipeline leaks, but also the additional hydrogen or ammonia pollution in our immediate area."
Estefania Aultman, who brought her six-year-old son who attends Sorrento Elementary to the meeting, said, "Air Products is asking us, can we pollute more air into your son's playground?"
There were also speakers in favor of the project. Wes Broussard, a lifelong resident of Ascension Parish, spoke about the need for high-paying jobs that can help support families.
"They need jobs and facilities to go work at, just like I did, and I'm grateful forever for the petrochemical industry because it saved my family from poverty. It really did," Broussard said.
John Diez of the Louisiana Chemical Association and Ascension Chamber of Commerce President Donnie Miller also spoke in support of the project.
"We sit at the center of one of the most important industrial corridors in the country, and the decisions we make today will shape whether we continue to compete for investment, for jobs, and for innovation, or whether those opportunities will move elsewhere," Miller said.
Air Products was granted a Minor Source Permit in June 2025. According to Andrew Connolly, Air Products' vice president and general manager of Low-Carbon Hydrogen projects, the Major Source Permit is needed to ensure the complex can continue manufacturing production during limited periods when the offsite carbon capture system may be unavailable, particularly during start-up operations.
"This permit does not change the design of the facility nor our intent to run the blue facility as planned," Connolly said. He also emphasized Air Products' commitment to safe operations, strong environmental performance, and regulatory accountability.
According to Air Products, the Louisiana Clean Energy Complex would deliver significant economic and community benefits. Construction is expected to create more than 2,000 jobs, and once operational, the facility would support 200 permanent positions with average salaries of approximately $93,000.
A 2025 Louisiana State University study shows the project is expected to add more than $4.5 billion to Louisiana's economy, generate nearly $370 million in tax revenue during construction, and approximately $24 million annually once operational.
Public comment is open until May 5, 2026. Comments can be submitted through the DEQ website, by DEQ email, by paper mail to LDEQ Public Participation Group, P.O. Box 4313, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-4313, or by hand delivery to 602 N. 5th Street in Baton Rouge.
