Save Lake Peigneur wins its lawsuit

NEW IBERIA - Judge Keith Comeaux of the 16th Judicial District Court based in New Iberia reversed the decision of the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources (LDNR) to issue a Coastal Use Permit to Jefferson Island Storage & Hub for its proposal to construct and operate two natural gas storage caverns in the Jefferson Island Salt Dome under Lake Peigneur.
The court agreed with the plaintiffs that the LDNR should not have issued the permit without first finding out that the project would not unreasonably endanger public safety and that the location had foundation conditions sufficiently stable to support the use.
Further, the court ruled that the LDNR decision violated its Constitutional duty as public trustee of the environment under Article IX, section 1 of the Louisiana Constitution because it did not do an environmental impact analysis of the potential impacts of the project.
The court stated that LDNR should have taken into account, among other things, the implications of the unexplained bubbling in Lake Peigneur and the potential risk of contamination to the Chicot Aquifer.
Save Lake Peigneur Board of Directors issued this statement after finding they won its lawsuit.
“We are very aware of the tedious and careful deliberations that Honorable Keith Comeaux took to making a decision pertaining to our lawsuit against the Office of Coastal Management of the LDNR - Louisiana Department of Natural Resources. We are very grateful for his ruling. We have always asked for what would protect life and environment. We are proud of our attorney, Lisa Jordan, because she presented a compelling case and most of all we are so happy that Judge Comeaux heard our pleas for justice.
“We have made some profound steps these past few months, and we hope that the steps we are taking will set a precedence to simply encourage the state and industry to do “the right thing.’ Thank you for your continuing support. Reflecting on Winston Churchill’s words, ‘Never, never, never give up!’”