LEONARD GRAY

HAHNVILLE – A program to clean up and restore Bayou Trepagnier, north of the Motiva Refinery near Norco, is well underway, and plans are to offer several remediation projects by September. Ron Gouget, of the U.S. Commerce Department’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Keith Casanova, of the state Department of Environmental Quality, recently presented a plan of action to address the pollution of the waterway to the St. Charles Parish Council during a recent council meeting. Bayou Trepagnier is located in the northwest area of the LaBranche Wetlands, and its sediment is loaded with lead, chromium, zinc and other heavy metals after years of discharge from the Shell Refinery, now Motiva. “Shell is willing to settle (without lengthy litigation),” Gouget said. The plans are to develop projects aimed at not only cleaning up the bayou but also restoration of the marsh and its plant and animal life while adding in-kind restoration work in adjoining areas. Also, during the meeting, the council: Contracted with Angelo Iafrate Construction for the three-year road overlay program, to cost $1,146,632.87, including adding several streets; Contracted with Shread-Kuyrkendall & Associates for water system improvements engineering between Luling and Taft, estimated to cost $1,197,000; Reduced the contract amount on the Duleith Canal bank stabilization project by $56.88, while adding 41 days; Approved a mutual aid resolution with St. John the Baptist, St. James and Ascension parishes in times of general emergency; Recognized local Eagle Scouts Joshua Finstad, Adam Griffin, Kevin and Scott Harvey; Recognized the 2001 Ms. Ebonee court, including Ms. Ebonee Triniece Matthews, First Maid Yoshi Johnson, Second Maid Naryssa Sandolph, Miss Photogenic Latoya Jones, Miss Personality Marquita Boyle and Miss Congeniality Anastasia Brown; Recognized the Louisiana Catfish Festival, July 13-15, at St. Gertrude Catholic Church, Des Allemands. The council also nominated the following members to serve on the River Region Caucus for the coming year: Brian Fabre, Dee Abadie, Clayton Faucheux and April Black. A vote on the nominations will be held at the July 23 meeting.