Local industries strive to contribute to the health of our environment in a variety of ways. For examples, they work hand-in-hand with other organizations to create artificial reefs that benefit wildlife. They plant marsh grasses along our shores to prevent coastal erosion and have trash pick-up days on the beaches. They partner with local parks and sponsor recreational enhancements. Local industries provide funding to support the protection of our natural resources. Others work behind the scenes and take measures to improve air, land or water quality. This special section focuses on local industries and the many ways they contribute to environmental protection.

PHILLIPS 66

Phillips 66 Donates $50,000 to Lake Area Mountain Bike Organization to Build New Trail at Sam Houston Jones State Park.

Phillips 66 Lake Charles Manufacturing Complex finds innovative ways to benefit the community and the environment. Recently, the company provided a $50,000 biodiversity grant to the Lake Area Mountain Bike Organization (LAMBO) to fuel trail development at Sam Houston Jones State Park. This funding, part of Phillips 66’s ongoing commitment to environmental sustainability and community engagement, will go towards constructing the first new trail in the park’s expanded trail plan.

The Lake Area Mountain Bike Organization (LAMBO) volunteers are trail advocates dedicated to creating, enhancing, and preserving trail experiences for all users. In partnership with Louisiana State Parks, LAMBO has been working to transform Sam Houston Jones State Park into a premier outdoor destination. This collaboration aims to create sustainable and accessible recreational opportunities for the community, enhancing the park’s value as a resource for both locals and visitors. LAMBO and Louisiana State Parks are committed to rebuilding and improving the park’s trail system, which was devastated by the 2020 hurricanes.

“Phillips 66’s partnership in our efforts have been instrumental in our recovery of the Sam Houston Jones State Park following the devastation by the 2020 hurricanes,” said Robert Landry, president of the Lake Area Mountain Bike Organization. “Their donation marks the beginning of an exciting new phase for the park, as we begin professionally designed trail construction in the Louisiana Office of State Parks master plan.”

Scot Tyler, general manager of Phillips 66 Lake Charles Manufacturing Complex, said Phillips 66 proudly supports LAMBO and their vision for Sam Houston Jones State Park. “This initiative fosters community connection through the outdoors. Our company is committed to strengthening the social and environmental resilience of our community, and this project will offer a place for people to connect with nature and each other.”

Phillips 66 also has a dedicated interest in coastal restoration. They’ve worked closely on several occasions with the Coastal Conservation Association of Louisiana’s Lake Charles Chapter, along with Martin Ecosystems and local students to rebuild area coastlines with floating islands installations. New wetland island habitats are created and placed in the water in strategic locations. After each “island” is planted, it is placed in the lake and towed to the nearby installation location. Each 7.5 x 19.5-foot island contains 120 native plants. The islands are placed end-to-end and anchored to the water bottom. This technology allows the plants to take root while providing protection to the existing shoreline from the natural elements.

CITGO

CITGO Safeguards Community with Proactive Worst-Case Scenario Drill.

Last month, CITGO Lake Charles Refinery successfully completed a worst-case scenario drill, where more than 130 participants, including emergency responders and local, state and federal agency representatives, participated in a live exercise scenario on the waterway while testing the emergency operations’ command capabilities.

“In our industry, preparing for and practicing our response to these emergency scenarios is critical to the safety of our employees and surrounding communities,” said CITGO Lake Charles Vice President and General Manager Sterling Neblett. “Our emergency responders and agency partners play an essential role in this preparation, and we thank them for their dedication to ensuring everyone’s safety.”

For training exercises and emergency response efforts at its Lake Charles facility, CITGO partners with the United States Coast Guard, Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, Environmental Protection Agency, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, Louisiana State Police, and others.

“Exercises, such as this, strengthen collaboration between federal, state, and local agencies in partnership with private entities to increase effectiveness of response efforts by implementing contingency plans, improving coordination and communication, and building public trust and confidence in the response efforts in the event of a real-life environmental incident,” said Commander Elizabeth Newton, U. S. Coast Guard.

Preparing for emergencies is essential in all CITGO operations. The company holds a worst-case scenario drill at each one of its refineries every three years.

Caring for our Coast Program

CITGO Lake Charles Refinery is committed to several environmental initiatives. This year, they celebrate the 10th anniversary of CITGO’s Caring for our Coast Program where they collaborate on a variety of environmental causes. The program is company-wide across their corporate footprint. To achieve their goals, they partner with local organizations such as The City of Lake Charles, Louisiana State Parks, CCA Louisiana, Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, Audubon Nature Institute, America’s Wetland Foundation, Restore the Earth Foundation, and others.

Below are some highlights of the program’s impact specifically in Louisiana:
• More than $2,186,354 in investment
• 540,740 plants planted
• 3,339 acres restored
• 710 pounds of trash removed
• 25 events
• 2,221 volunteers with 12,113 volunteer hours

USDA Urban Forestry Grant Tree Planting Initiative

On November 2, 2024, CITGO and the City of Lake Charles kicked off the USDA Urban Forestry Grant Tree Planting Initiative as part of the Lake Charles Rebound beautification project. TeamCITGO and community volunteers planted 65 trees along the newly paved half-mile walking path on 1st Avenue, between Broad and Winterhalter streets.

CHENNAULT

Litter Busters: Chennault cleans up areas along surrounding runways.

Even with world-class aviation work going on daily at its on-site businesses, Chennault International Airport still dedicates time for community service — and perhaps the highest-profile effort is its ongoing efforts to fight litter in Calcasieu Parish.

Volunteer crews from Chennault regularly scour the adjacent Interstate 210 exit and the Sen. J. Bennett Johnston Avenue interchange to clean up trash that’s been blown or thrown from passing vehicles. With safety vests, gloves, tongs and trash bags, employees of the airport and its tenant partners pick up trash from the roadways leading to and from Chennault and SOWELA Technical Community College.

“This is not just to benefit Chennault, but all that do business at the airport and within the community,” said Chennault Executive Director Kevin Melton, who has been known to stop his own vehicle to pick up random roadway litter. “Aesthetics matter.”

Chennault’s self-organized community cleanups align with such anti-litter efforts as the statewide Keep Louisiana Beautiful and Love the Boot campaigns, Calcasieu Parish’s growing Pick It Up program and the City of Lake Charles’ anti-litter efforts.

Melton said the cleanups follow the TEAM system:

• T: Teamwork and respect for each other — a foundation of Chennault’s own core values.
• E: Efficient organization and operations — a foundation of all that we do every day.
• A: Active in a community Chennault loves and supports.
• M: Maintaining a safe and positive work environment for all Chennault personnel — as part of the airport’s decision.

A group recently cleaned the I-210 on/off ramps and portions of J. Bennett Johnston. “We are also very appreciative of the Lake Charles Police Department for its efforts to maintain a safe workspace for our team as we cleaned up the roadways,” Melton said.
He regularly advocates during public presentations for litter cleanup and economic development of the areas adjacent to the airport.

“We love and respect our community,” said Melton. “We challenge local businesses and residents to do their part and Pick It Up and to Love the Boot.

CALCA SOLUTIONS

Making a Difference: Calca Solutions, with only approximately 20 employees on staff, finds ways to make a positive impact.

For more than 70 years, the site of Calca Solutions has been part of the Southwest Louisiana community as well as providing hydrazine propellants and solutions to companies around the world. In the aftermath of Hurricane Laura, it was apparent that the landscape of Southwest Louisiana was drastically damaged with the incredible loss of trees and natural foliage that had been ravaged by the storm. Following the storm, the site of Calca Solutions worked with the Westlake Recreation District One to purchase trees, landscaping, and tie-in to the current irrigation system between Pinederosa Park and the Veteran’s Memorial.

“Returning to the area after Laura, we all felt the need to do something that could boost the beautification of Southwest Louisiana as well as do our part in helping the community heal from the vast destruction,” said Mark Kern, plant manager/COO of Calca Solutions. “Pinederosa Park and Veteran’s Memorial Park were a perfect fit for us. The park has seen a resurgence of visitors, and it is now host to festivals and events for people throughout the Lake Area.”

In addition, as a Partner in Parks with the City of Lake Charles, Calca Solutions is also involved with the refurbishment of the 911 Memorial along the lakefront, also part of Veteran’s Memorial Park. The monument itself is ensconced in colorful, floral landscaping along the shores of the lake.  As well as restoring the memorial, there will be additional beautification changes made to the site from the work of local architects and artists to enhance the experience of reflection.

To learn more about Calca Solutions, visit www.CalcaSolutions.com.

LAKE AREA INDUSTRY ALLIANCE

Economics of Industrial Environmentalism

by Christine Fisher

Industry and a clean environment; some may think these are at odds with each other, but a closer look reveals the extent local industries go to protect our environment. Producing, storing and transporting products safely is not only environmentally friendly, but also improves profitability.

“Of course, being environmentally conscious is the right way to manufacture our products,” explains Jim Rock, executive director of Lake Area Industry Alliance. “Employees of industries live and play here; we all want to protect our families, our neighbors and the entire community. Speaking from a business perspective, there are significant benefits to being environmentally friendly. Almost all our products are ‘commodity chemicals’ meaning there are other competitors making the same product. The goal of every business is to earn profit. The key to success is to maximize the conversion of every molecule that comes into your site into a saleable product. Implementing programs to minimize waste and maximize the product volume to the customer is good for the company and the environment. It’s a business model that everyone – plant managers, corporate officials, and industry employees – can support. Working together, at all levels and job duties, industries maintain an environmentally friendly approach to doing business.”

Meeting government environmental regulations requires investments in equipment and strict adherence to procedures to protect our environment. This is an evolving process as we learn more about how to minimize any potential impact to our environment.
Fifteen years ago, LAIA created an awareness campaign called Industry Insider that explains techniques and processes that occur within industry and how they impact the environment. The campaign is designed to answer questions the community might have about routine processes that take place within the facilities of our local industry.

“We chose to have a current industrial employee explain procedures,” says Rock. “They address the why and how in everyday language to help our community understand what’s happening.”

A few of the subjects tackled in the Industry Insider campaign include:
• Flares are permitted gas combustion devices used to safely vent gases. The hissing or rumbling sounds come from steam that is introduced to promote a clean burning flame. Industries utilize flares during startups, shutdowns or when needed during unusual operating conditions.
• Area industries utilize a variety of water treatment methods including advanced biological technology to treat water effluent prior to discharge. These engineered processes result in clean water which is tested to verify compliance with regulations. These labs are certified by the Department of Environmental Quality. Water that is discharged is continually monitored to maintain strict compliance with the Environmental Protection Agency and the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality.
• What may look like clouds or plumes of smoke can often be seen coming from local industry; this is water vapor. A significant amount of heat and water are required in the industrial process. Cooling towers are used to cool the hot water for reuse using air movement and evaporation. The water vapor is visible evidence that evaporation is taking place. It’s another environmentally friendly part of the industrial process.

“Upgrades within industry to minimize waste and meet environmental regulations help industries be more efficient and productive and that’s what good business is all about,” says Rock. “Industries aim to reduce, recycle and reuse waste. The bottom line is that this is good for the environment, and good for business.”

To learn more about the Industry Insider campaign, visit www.laia.com.