Shell Chemicals To Build Manufacturing Unit

Shell Chemicals LP of Baton Rouge, La., has applied to the New Orleans Engineer District for a permit to build a facility for manufacturing monoethylene glycol on the left bank of the Mississippi River at Mile 183 in Geismar, La. The permit would allow the company to clear, grade, excavate and fill an area to allow the construction of buildings, parking, storage tanks and other structures at the Shell Geismar Plant.

A temporary haul road will be installed to transport equipment from the Mississippi River to the project site. To construct a new 50- by 50-foot dock and 360-foot walkway, about 50,253 cubic yards of earthen fill and 4,000 cubic yards of limestone will be placed on site.

The applicant estimates the project will affect 6.7 acres of forested jurisdictional wetlands, 2.3 acres of herbaceous wetlands and 3.6 acres of jurisdictional waters.

The site is adjacent to the Shell Geismar plant and associated infrastructure. Off-site alternatives were not feasible, the company said, because the expansion requires adjacency to the site.

In lieu of an earthen ramp, the applicant will use a span bridge structure to reduce the footprint and impacts of the heavy haul ramp.