LIVINGSTON, La. — A packed house greeted the Livingston Parish Council on Thursday as more than 70 residents signed up to speak in support of a resolution introduced by Council Member Dean Coates opposing the permitting and establishment of any Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) Class VI injection wells or pipelines within Livingston Parish.
Before public comment began, Lynda Gardiner with Keep Livingston Beautiful gave the council a presentation on the upcoming Household Hazardous Waste Disposal event, which will be held Saturday, Nov. 1, from 8 a.m. to noon at the Livingston Parish Fairgrounds.
The event is free to Livingston Parish residents with a valid driver’s license or state-issued ID. According to information shared on Parish President Randy Delatte’s Facebook page, accepted items include appliances, electronics, computers, household batteries (not damaged), lamps and bulbs, and up to five car or truck tires per person, per vehicle.
Hazardous materials must be clearly labeled in their original containers. Additional waste streams include oil-based and latex paint, antifreeze, pesticides and herbicides, aerosols, small propane bottles, mothballs, pool cleaners, bleach, disinfectants, cooking oil, degreasers, and oven or drain cleaners.
Items not accepted include ammunition, medical waste, medications, fireworks or flares, smoke or fire detectors, large cylinders, and Styrofoam. For more information, residents can contact the Livingston Parish Litter Department at 225-686-3992, call Gardiner at 985-517-3406, or visit livingstonparishgovernme
Council President Billy Taylor then opened the meeting by noting that, at three minutes per speaker, the public comment portion could have lasted four hours. He urged those with similar opinions to avoid repetition — a plea that reduced the number of speakers to about 15, each voicing strong opposition to CCS projects in Livingston Parish.
After public comment, the council voted unanimously to adopt the resolution. Several speakers criticized carbon capture projects as offering no permanent jobs for locals and benefiting only corporate tax interests “in Connecticut or Ascension Parish.” Others said one of the currently proposed CCS projects targets lower-income communities and raises environmental justice concerns.
State Sen. Valarie Hodges was the only other elected official present. While expressing general support for the oil and gas industry, she said carbon capture “is not oil and gas” and that CSS could go "anywhere else, just not Livingston Parish." She also raised concerns about the lack of transparency around the chemicals involved. “We need answers,” she said.
Parish President Randy Delatte reiterated his opposition to the project, saying his priority is public safety and that “no one has fought harder to oppose this.” He added that federal tax incentives for carbon capture are the main driver of such projects and urged residents to “let the governor do his job,” expressing confidence that the plan would fail.
Council member Ryan Chavers criticized federal officials for their limited responses to emails sent by concerned citizens, saying U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins “should get invested” in the issue and that U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy’s reply “had nothing to do with the project.”
Residents also raised concerns about Louisiana’s long history of abandoned wells and Superfund sites, pointing to the Combustion, Inc. waste site in Livingston Parish as a cautionary example.
Earlier in the meeting, the council entered an executive session to discuss a potential settlement in a lawsuit involving Cingular Wireless (AT&T Mobility) but took no action afterward.
In other business, the council:
Approved a resolution authorizing Parish President Delatte to enter into a contract with Reliant Industrial Solutions for the Hurricane Ida Hills Road washout repair near Holden.
Adopted multiple zoning amendments, including a controversial change to regulations for multi-family planned unit developments proposed by Councilman John Mangus. The measure passed despite objections from Chavers and Joe Erdy, who warned it could worsen traffic congestion.
Approved two additional ordinance amendments and five zoning changes recommended by the Planning and Zoning Commission.
Added eight roads — including Village Lane, Lake Park Drive, and Wax Road — to the parish’s priority road maintenance list.
