But after more than an hour of answering more than 40 questions posed by Save Lake Peigneur members, Lake Peigneur residents and others opposed to AGL’s natural gas cavern expansion project still believe AGL remains “evasive” about their intentions.
A recent operating agreement reached between the state and Jefferson Island Storage and Hub, AGL’s subsidiary, will allow the company to apply for permits to build two additional natural gas storage caverns under Lake Peigneur if approved by the state Mineral Board.
 From left at the table, Tim Goodson, Dana Grams, moderator Maria Placer, Jim Pitts and David Schultz face the audience Thursday night at a meeting in Erath. Advertisement
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The question-and-answer session of the forum allowed a panel of AGL representatives to directly address the dozens of pre-submitted questions from Save Lake Peigneur members.
Former KLFY TV 10 anchor Maria Placer served as moderator. Video cameras were barred from the question-and-answer session, but were allowed in the Erath City Park Community Center during the one-on-one information session.
Grams told the crowd that being a good neighbor involves “focusing on commonality instead of differences,” adding that a good neighbor also constitutes giving back to the community as the company has with monetary donations, fire trucks, school equipment purchases and other items it has provided for the area.
When asked, the company would not commit to storing only natural gas in the caverns, as the operating agreement allows for the storage of other resources including carbon dioxide and oil.
Grams said his company chose Jefferson Island because of the high-quality salt in the domes, and also because of the location’s potential for expansion. Company representatives said they could not promise that no additional caverns would be built after this project.
“It’s very difficult to answer what we’ll do in the future,” Gram said. “Natural gas is the energy of the future. We think we provide a valuable service to the oil and gas industry.”
When asked about the operating agreement, Grams said it is the first of its kind in Louisiana because of legislation passed in 2008 that allows for such an agreement.
New Iberia resident Geri Frederick said AGL representatives were spotted in Baton Rouge with the same lawmaker who authored the operating agreement bill, implying that the law was created specifically for the company.
“If you are a good neighbor, why not do like other companies and create the caverns in the Gulf?” Frederick said. “I think it’s cheaper for you.”
The panel addressed several questions about its plans to draw 3 million gallons a day from the Chicot Aquifer, as well as about 2.5 million gallons a day from deeper parts of the aquifer that do not provide drinking water.
Tim Gibson with AGL said the 3 million gallons being drawn for two years is only 1 to 2 percent of the total daily water usage from the aquifer. Gibson also said AGL was the only company to ever restrict its groundwater use voluntarily.
“Once we’re finished (with cavern building), we’re done with the water,” Grams said. “If there are problems, we share those with everyone who uses that water. It’s not just AGL being the bad guys.”
Save Lake Peigneur’s lawyer Julie DesOrmeaux Rosenzweig, however, said those statements do not completely answer the concerns being raised.
“AGL noted that it was the only company that has ever restricted its groundwater use voluntarily,” Rosenzweig said after the meeting. “It failed to note that no other company has ever proposed to draw as much water from the Chicot Aquifer in Iberia Parish, either.”
AGL declined to answer questions about the net profits of Jefferson Island Storage and Hub, but said AGL’s earnings are public record with the SEC.
The company also declined to reveal how much the company owes in property taxes to Iberia Parish or how much the company pays in local taxes to municipalities and parishes. Jefferson Island Storage and Hub has been appealing its assessment for about three years.
Several residents asked about liability insurance for lake residents in the case of an accident, and also inquired about the risk for accidents like the Texaco salt mine accident that drained the lake in the 1980s.
“We’re not going to have an accident,” Grams said.
“Hypothetical questions are not fair. People are dedicating their whole career to making sure that doesn’t happen.”
Save Lake Peigneur Vice President Nara Crowley said after the meeting that she commends the company for its attempts to address some of the group’s concerns, but still thought the company offered “spin” on some of the issues.
“We got some definitive answers, and we’re grateful for that,” Crowley said.
“But they were still evasive on many answers. There are still no guarantees on them not having an accident.”
Comments
To dysh wrote on Oct 2, 2009 10:58 AM:
There isn't any slamming just facts. "
dysh wrote on Oct 1, 2009 9:44 PM:
To dysh wrote on Sep 30, 2009 2:52 PM:
dysh wrote on Sep 29, 2009 8:22 PM:
allow drilling offshore, see the can of worms that opened for them, rolling blackouts, having to bue electricity from other states. Me I would rather be more self suffecient..Ok so now you can see where we could go with this. I know some of you NIMBYS out there may be made of money, me personally I prefer to keep mine. See where I am going with this. Its not just that storing gas here. cont "
Pot wrote on Sep 29, 2009 6:19 PM:
storage glut, and are not moving gas out of storage and some companies are considering converting
it to LNG and exporting it. So here is the scoop, just like the stock market, buy cheap from the third world
sit on it, then sell when the price is right. Sounds like money making to me. AGL concerned about our nations energy needs.... I think not! "
To Spoon wrote on Sep 29, 2009 6:11 PM:
Rousseau wrote on Sep 29, 2009 3:41 PM:
Your NIMBY attitude is blocking economic growth for the area and access to a preferred energy, but you are all so used to opposing, you've ceased to listen to reason. Your opinion is not shared by everyone on Lake Peigneur. "
dysh wrote on Sep 28, 2009 7:55 PM:
Fork wrote on Sep 28, 2009 11:49 AM:
dysh wrote on Sep 27, 2009 8:44 PM:
I wonder why you felt you needed to read up on Spoon's commentary.. do you feel threatened, like he must be, from all you NIMBY's out there. He was only stating fact, at which point all the nimbys felt they needed to attack him, so yes he would want to protect everyone from the propoganda that the NIMBY's are spouting...If you would just take your heads ouf of the mud at the bottom of lake peigneur ( hey no more bubbles) and
see what would happen .. more later "
Spoon wrote on Sep 27, 2009 8:21 PM:
Fork wrote on Sep 26, 2009 8:09 PM:
shape edge knife wrote on Sep 25, 2009 5:11 PM:
If you are a resident on the shores of Lake
Peigneur, you must have your head buried in the
bottom of the lake. What was your thought when
Dana Grams stated there would be no accidents,
he is not "GOD". I trust my life to God only, not a
company that is trying to steal our drinking water
for profit with no concern for their neighbors. "
To Spoon wrote on Sep 25, 2009 3:54 PM:
Spoon wrote on Sep 25, 2009 11:20 AM:
To Spoon wrote on Sep 24, 2009 10:54 PM:
Fact we will lose our drinking water, fact we will be in danger, fact we will have salt intrusion, fact an out-of-state company doesn't give a darn about the residents of Lake Peigneur, fact they owe over a million dollars in taxes to Iberia Parish. If you want to call it 'nimby' then so be it. I will call it "NIMBY!!!!" Get the heck out of here and return to Georgia where they are constantly have water shortage. "
Spoon wrote on Sep 22, 2009 11:18 AM:
You are ill-adivsed. You must have talked to someone else. I do understand the gas industry, not like SOL folks. All these comments says nothing but 'nimby'. "
My 2 Cents wrote on Sep 21, 2009 12:41 PM:
AGL has paid scientist to testify to our legislators that this project would do no harm to the environment or the people living near Jefferson Island. Lastly, they hired Sides and Associates in order for Larry Sides to use his political influence on OUR legislators. "
To Spoon wrote on Sep 21, 2009 11:07 AM:
Concerned Resident wrote on Sep 21, 2009 9:14 AM:
Lake Peigneur Resident wrote on Sep 21, 2009 8:44 AM:
test wrote on Sep 21, 2009 8:42 AM:
What a production wrote on Sep 20, 2009 5:28 PM:
Dinah Boudreaux wrote on Sep 20, 2009 12:39 PM:
SaveLakePeigneur cannot have confidence in a company that is not prepared for a public meeting....How prepared are they for any "accident" that might happen??? "
What a production wrote on Sep 19, 2009 2:02 PM:
Spoon wrote on Sep 19, 2009 1:36 PM:
AGL has my support. "
Jefferson Island Resident wrote on Sep 18, 2009 3:06 PM: