Here is a list of the questions for the upcoming Forum, along with a listing of our concerns with regard to each issue. Please feel free to comment, or ask questions
City Parish President Candidate Forum Thursday, October 1, 2015
1. Evangeline Throughway
There has been a great deal of discussion on plans to upgrade the Evangeline Throughway to interstate status, even though an affordable route along the Teche Ridge already exists. Many citizens are concerned about the numerous negative aspects of this upgrade such as a disruption to the downtown development area; the displacement of many homes, businesses and historical sites; a path over toxic waste site at the old railroad yard; and a negative impact to adjacent wetlands as the east/west airport runway will need to be pushed into the swamp.
What would your position be?
Sierra Club’s Concerns
1.Too Expensive, way beyond available funding possibilities.
2.Major Environmental Problems
a.hundreds of hazardous waste sites in the path of this proposed project to be resolved (filling stations, cleaners, Lafayette’s old power plant, Southern Pacific Roundhouse Dump,
old Lafayette Public Landfill)
b.Enormous expense in resolving these issues.
c.Driving pilings in the related test borings through these hazardous sites would seriously threaten Lafayette’s drinking water.
3.Extensive loss of wetlands relating to the realignment of the east/west runway into the Cypress Island Swamp owned by the Nature Conservancy in St. Martin Parish.
4.Loss of hundreds of homes and businesses and the related jobs.
