Westlake Corp. holds hearing on permit bid

Sixteen people showed up to ask questions about Westlake Corporation’s plans to install two new hazardous waste fired hydrochloric acid production furnaces.

“It’s called a halogen acid production permit or an HCL production permit that permits us to utilize the combusted material then absorb and desorb HCL in our process,” explained Don Johnson, Westlake Corp environmental specialist.

To get a permit, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), which governs the disposal of solid waste and hazardous waste and the Hazardous Waste Combustors National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (HWC NESHAP) requires Westlake to hold an informal public meeting. Mail outs and newspaper ads advertise the meeting that allows for questions from the public.

It was held 3–5 p.m. at the Sulphur Library. One of the participants asked about the time, suggesting it was not ideal for people who wanted to find out more about the project but couldn’t take off work to do so.

With permit approval, Westlake will recover chloride (HCL) from various waste streams from the Westlake plant (the old PPG plant) and plants in Geismer and Plaquemines to use in a new process.  Waste would be delivered mostly by rail, some by truck.

Currently, the waste is being used in one of Westlake’s manufacturing processes that is no longer profitable. Material recovered from the new process will be used at Westlake’s vinyl chloride and ethyl dichloride plants.

The EPA requires 99.999 percent of contaminants in the waste be removed and destroyed.

“And what happens if it doesn’t get to 99.999 percent,” asked Cynthia Robertson, Micah 6:8, a non-profit focused on the health and well-being of the community.

“We shut it down, we will not be able to operate,” Johnson said.

Operating parameter limits will be monitored continuously and if any of those go out of range then the waste stream will automatically shut off, and there will be a CO continuous emission monitor on the stack.

Charlie Atherton said he would rather see full-time, real time monitoring, and not just of CO.

Questions were asked about the integrity of the tanks, plans for lightning, why the fire suppression map was from 2001 and why wasn’t the air quality of sensitive, more at-risk  populations considered such as those in nursing homes and those visiting close-by parks.

“The life of our children, our air, our water and our food is at stake,” one woman said.

“So, you’re going from one process to a process that increases our air pollution, even though it’s within limits because you need the stuff that you’re going to get from it to make a product that y’all think is more marketable?” Robertson asked.

“We run a business, okay? And we are profit-motivated. We strive to comply with all of our regulatory requirements and limits. We’ve wired with DEQ and EPA to make sure we do that,” Johnson said.

Chip Swearngan, Westlake Corp. Communications answered the question asked at the informal meeting about the urgency to expedite the permit by email.     

Westlake requested expedited permitting for the project, a routine administrative procedure allowed by LDEQ, as a proactive measure to help ensure the permitting process could advance in order to allow construction to start and not impact the project schedule.  While RCRA Class 3 permits and some air permits may take a year or more to be issued, Westlake routinely uses the expedited permit process to give LDEQ the flexibility to use its limited permitting resources efficiently. In consultation with LDEQ, the department indicated that requesting expedited permitting for this project would be acceptable.

A 60-day public comment period began on July 5, 2024, and will end on Septe. 3, 2024, during which time all interested parties have the opportunity to review the permit modification request and to submit written comments to the LDEQ. The permittee’s compliance history during the life of the permit being modified is available from the LDEQ.

SportsPlus

life

Gettin’ jiggy wit it — Irish dance style

Local News

Family fabric: Quilting exhibition offers insight to generations of storytelling, culture and artistry

life

McNeese president’s honor list announced for fall 2024 semester

life

Walls can talk: Artist says art is essence of humanity

McNeese Sports

Selling a winning pitch

Local News

House committee address citizen concerns over carbon sequestration in Louisiana

Jim Beam

Jim Beam column:Don’t worry. Trump is fixer

Local News

Mayor talks progress, what’s ahead for the city

Local News

EMS Academy, Acadian Ambulance will be offering EMT classes in LC

Local News

City Council candidates for District C state their views

Local News

Capstone at the Oaks senior living complex nearing completion

Local News

FBI says it found 2,400 new JFK assassination records

McNeese Sports

Baseball Preview: Putting pieces in place

McNeese Sports

Shumate rallies Cowboys by ETAM

Business

Trump raises tariffs on aluminum and steel to 25%

Crime

Sheriff issues warrant for Texas man accused of theft

Local News

Parish facility management team strengthening building infrastructure

Crime

LC woman killed in crash with intoxicated driver

Local News

If FEMA didn’t exist, could states handle the disaster response alone?

life

Program uses locally grown produce to help students with healthier eating habits

Crime

2/10: Calcasieu Parish Sheriff announces arrest list

Local News

Trump says he has directed US Treasury to stop minting new pennies, citing rising cost

Local News

Eagles deny Chiefs a three-peat

Local News

Trump says he is serious about Canada becoming 51st state