By Susan Stewart / L’Observateur / January 23, 1998

State Rep. Bobby Faucheux said one of the reasons he decided to run for aseat in the Louisiana Legislature was because he wanted to bring moreeconomic development to the area.

Faucheux said he has acted and participated with the expansion of theexisting industries here, such as Marathon, which has brought in anotherplant in alliance with it because of the feed-stock it produces.

Faucheux also cited American Iron Reduction’s move to Convent.

“We have four people who are actively looking at operations in the Portright now, and we can make a small investments that has as much impactas some of these huge plants,” he said. Faucheux said the Port of South Louisiana is now negotiating with acompany that when the parish makes a $5 to $6 million investment, willemploy 60 to 150 people, depending upon what progress they makeeconomically over the next year and that small investment will probablycreate many jobs for lower-skilled workers.

“That will have a more immediate impact than the $750 millioninvestment that Shintech is making,” Faucheux continued.

Faucheux said there could potentially be an expansion in the tri-parisharea’s steel mill, because the steel industry sees the potential here insouth Louisiana.

“I think it’ will particularly make an impact on Bayou Steel,” he said.Aside from that, Faucheux said there is an expansion now going on atNALCO, in alignment with Stockhaum, which they are in the process ofdoing a $50 million expansion.

He said there has been some progress with the DuPont/Dow product thetwo industries are now making together.”So, economically, I think we have seen some expansions being made,which in turn have impacted us positively in terms of improvements inroads and bridges.”

In particular, Faucheux noted that more money has been spent on roadmaintenance than in the past, for which he gives credit to State Sen. RonLandry, who is the chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee.

Faucheux cited the resurfacing project of Louisiana Highway 44, fromLaPlace to Reserve, that is ongoing and the upcoming project from Reserveto St. James Parish.

He said U.S. Highway 61 has been completely resurfaced in St. JamesParish and the Gramercy-Wallace bridge has also been resurfaced. “We’re working in it,” he said.

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