Axial Corporation has proposed the construction of an ethylene plant that will damageapproximately 110 acres of wetlands. The proposed ethylene plant will be in the Lower Calcasieu Watershed- a major flood protection area. The proposal consists of a five-part construction plan including a plant site and elevated pipeline. The vicinity in the Lower Calcasieu Watershed affected by the ethylene plant is forested wetland, surrounded by industrial sites. Construction of the plant will destroy 260 acres land, with 110 of those being forested wetland. Forested wetlands are extremely important for the Gulf Coast. They provide storm surge protection, erosion control and water filtration. They are also home to Louisiana’s native birds and fish, among their many other beneficial values. One of the foreseeable impacts will be flooding at surrounding commercial sites. Besides flood protection loss, there’s always the daunting risk of industrial discharge into such a vital ecological area. The Calcasieu Watershed is home to an abundance of species. Eleven are species of conservation concern, including the Calcasieu Painted Crawfish. Deer habitat will also be displaced if the permit is approved and locals will lose a prized deer hunting ground. The ethylene plant’s permit application does include a mitigation plan. But the proposed mitigation does not directly replace the wetlands flood protection value in the area. The Gulf Restoration Network does not support the unnecessary, detrimental destruction of our wetlands. RESTORE (Restore Explicit Symmetry To Our Ravaged Earth), a Louisiana environmental group, has also joined the fight against Axial Corporation. Join us in demanding that the Corps and DEQ protect our wetlands and preserve hunting values by denying Axial Corporation’s permit for the ethylene plant. Chae Jiles is a Water Resources Intern at GRN
