AMY SZPARA

PHOTO: Diamond Community residents protest a recent purchase of land by Shell Chemical Company in Norco. (Staff Photo by Amy Szpara) LAPLACE – Shell Chemical Company recently purchased a stretch of land that has members of Norco’s Diamond Community fired up. Angry over what they term “Shell games,” the residents who live nearby the property that now belongs to their industrial neighbor, said they feel closed in, surrounded by Shell-owned areas. But, Shell representatives said the company is doing anything but trying to harm the community. Instead, they said the company bought the land to build a park for area residents. “What’s that smell? That’s just Shell,” Janine Campbell, who lives on Diamond Street, said at a recent press conference held beside the property on First Street. “We don’t have no way out,” she said, adding that the company was trying to block them in. “There is no basis of trust when it comes to Shell,” said Anne Rolfes of the Louisiana Bucket Brigade, who has been fighting alongside residents who want Shell to buy them out at a “fair” price. “Now they do this. Now they say they want a park, but who knows what they will use it (the land) for,” Rolfes said. Audrey Eugene, who lives on Bethune Street, said, “Why you trying to keep me in here? They were knocking at my back door. Now they just came in. They are so inhumane. Everyone should know what Shell is doing.” According to the residents, they are upset because they were not notified of the purchase, and they fear Shell will increase industrial expansion. According to Rolfes, over the years Shell has purchased close to 50 homes in the area at an average price of $26,933. In 2000, Shell created the Property Purchase Program, offering to buy out residents who live on Washington and Cathey streets of Norco, which are two of the four streets that make up the Diamond Community. The residents who live on Diamond and East streets were excluded from the offer, which left a bad taste in their mouths. They said the community had been ripped apart, and the recent purchase of land on the other side of the neighborhood, only added fuel to the fire. According to Lily Galland, representative for Shell Chemical Company, the company purchased the 11.5 acres of land for $158,000 during the latter part of July or early August. The private property was sold to the company at a very good price, she said, but the company was only interested in the land nearest the levee by a dock. The rest, a wooded area, was purchased because it was part of the package. “We are not going to expand on it,” said Galland. “We saw this as a positive move. That wooded area was a racial division between the Diamond Community and the rest of Norco. We want to build a park for everyone to enjoy.” Stating that Shell has a greenbelt agreement with the citizens of Norco, Galland said it is not the company’s intention to surround the small community of Diamond. Instead, company officials are hoping the park will benefit the residents. “But nobody came to us and asked us,” said Lorita Jenkins, who resides on East Street. “That’s like a slap in the face. They already buying two streets, trying to separate us. Now they’re buying the area that surrounds us, but leaving us here.” “This is the most shocking thing that they have done so far,” said Rolfes of Shell. According to the residents, they learned of the purchase at a recent meeting. Most of them now hope Shell will buy their property for a “reasonable price.” But, said Galland, Shell has no plans to do that. “For us to buy all four streets, we would have to offer that to all of Norco. There is no business logic there,” she said.