Public hearings to be set

(Editor’s Note: A Letter to the Editor from Cabot Corporation Facility General Manager Derek Turner regarding these issues can be found on Page 4.)
Several parish agencies are planning public hearings to discuss the future of a proposed expansion to an existing company.
Along with the Evangeline Parish Police Jury, the Evangeline Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Evangeline Parish School Board, and Cabot Corporation, the Board of Directors of the Evangeline Chamber of Commerce will “set up a couple of public hearings in an effort to inform our members of a proposed Cabot Corp. project and their application for an Industrial Tax Exemption (ITE), to inform about the ITE Program process, and to discuss the impact of the project and requested exemption on the parish,” according to a release from the Chamber.
The release continued, “We want to provide opportunities for all chamber members and other businesses and residents in the parish to understand the issues, and be able to ask questions of and express opinions to Cabot Corp. management and all entities voting on the requested exemption (police jury, school board, and sheriff).”
The proposed expansion project will be a $147 million long term investment to better meet environmental standards. According to the release, “The project consists of two components—Energy Center ($109.7 million investment will use waste gas to produce electricity) and Emissions Control ($37.7 million investment will scrub exhaust gas to significantly reduce Sulphur Oxide (SOx) and Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) emissions).”
Cabot Corp. Management stated, “Cabot Corp. has requested a Louisiana Industrial Tax Exemption Program (ITEP) for the $109.7 million Energy Center portion of the investment. The Emissions Control portion ($37.7 million) of the project is not eligible for the ITEP.”
As for the proposed tax exemption, the Industrial Tax Exemption Program stated, “The Louisiana Industrial Ad Valorem Tax Exemption Program (ITEP) is an original state incentive program, which offers an attractive tax incentive for manufacturers who make a commitment to jobs and payroll in the state. With approval by the Board of Commerce and Industry and local governmental entities, the program provides an 80% property tax abatement for an initial term of five years and the option to renew for five additional years at 80% property tax abatement on a manufacturer’s qualifying capital investment related to the manufacturing process in the state.”
Once the Chamber finalizes dates for the public hearings, announcements will be made.
The first public hearing will be held on Monday, April 5, at 4:30 p.m. in the meeting room of the Evangeline Parish Police Jury ahead of its regularly scheduled monthly meeting.
According to a release from Chamber Executive Director Tobin Deville, “They (the police jury) will continue the discussion during their committee meeting on the same topic at 5:00 p.m. The jury is then scheduled to vote on the issue during their meeting, which starts at 6:00 p.m. The school board is scheduled to vote on April 21. The police jury, school board, and the sheriff have until April 27 to submit their votes.”
“All of the meetings will be open to Evangeline Chamber members (unless they go into executive session) in order to participate in and learn from discussions about the requested exemption.”