Frequently Asked Questions
Louisiana Transportation Center - Site Selection Study
Site Selection Study Process
| 1. | Who provided input into the study? Industry experts and agency officials. |
| 2. | Why are you announcing the site now when the project study is incomplete? This is the first of many milestones, and we recognize it is an important milestone for the project. We have only identified preferred sites to be further analyzed and will continue with additional studies, including the Master Plan and Environmental Analysis. |
| 3. | How did you arrive at this site? How did you eliminate other sites? Why were existing airports and ports in cities like Lake Charles, New Orleans not utilized to build on what is already in place? A Tiered analysis process was utilized during the Site Selection Study which included detailed analysis and evaluation of many criteria such as avoidance of population and wetlands. Existing airports such as New Orleans are too small to accommodate the facility and would result in many impacts. Other port cities such as Lake Charles have a low population density that would be inadequate to serve the facility. |
| 4. | Are these two sites the final possibilities or is there a chance that another site could be chosen? Yes, these are the 2 preferred sites based on the results of the Site Selection Study. However, further environmental analysis could identify another alternative. |
Environmental Analysis
| 5. | When will the environmental analysis be conducted? Once Federal Funding is received for the remainder of the grant application, the detailed Environmental Analysis will be conducted and will then be incorporated into an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). |
| 6. | What environmental concerns do you anticipate? How can you settle on this site without having done extensive environmental studies? As part of the Site Selection Study, an extensive environmental screening evaluation was utilized to avoid major environmentally sensitive areas such as wetlands and population. However, further detailed environmental analysis is necessary to ensure all issues were considered. |
| 7. | What is the noise buffer zone and how will you minimize noise to residents and businesses? Further analysis and noise evaluation will be a part of the Master Plan, Environmental Analysis and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) Study. The results of these studies will define the areas of potential noise impacts and will include and define any buffer zones if required. |
Property
| 8. | My property is within the site. When will my property be bought and how can I be sure to get fair market value? The entire project will be phased over time, including property acquisition and development. Depending on your property location, it could be a number of years before your property is bought and relocation is necessary. Acquisition will be based on the Federally-mandated Uniform Relocation Assistance Act. |
| 9. | Do the people on the site know they are going to have to move, and what if they don't want to? No one has been notified at this time because additional studies must be undertaken, including the detailed Environmental Study, which will determine the full impact and further identify land owners. Relocation is a negotiated process over time. |
| 10. | Who's going to buy this land? How are you going to arrange the purchases and how long will it take? The State will own the property through private investors. The landowners will be identified and the length of purchasing transactions will depend on planned development. It could take one to two years to complete the land purchases. |
Public Information / Public Involvement
| 11. | Will residents have any say in this site from here on out? Why didn't they have a say so far? Yes, residents will continue to have the opportunity to be heard. The LAA has been meeting with various interest groups over the past 2 years to provide information on the project. The technical work for the Site Selection Study has been accomplished and we are continuing with public involvement and input. The Environmental Analysis and EIS Study will also include additional public involvement components. |
General Project
| 12. | Why should the project be in Louisiana? Southeast Louisiana has the ability to develop a facility with four modes of transportation including deepwater port access, airport, rail and trucking/transportation network. The Mississippi River, which accommodates the largest tonnage of cargo in the world, combined with a good interstate system and rail access, makes Louisiana the prime location for the Louisiana Transportation Center. |
| 13. | What is the makeup of the acres - what percentage is residential, industry, farmland, etc.? 85% agricultural 10% undeveloped 2.5% industrial 2.5% residential |
| 14. | What's the next step? A master plan of the preferred site will be completed in the Spring of 2003, followed by an environmental analysis. Once the Federal Environmental Guidelines are satisfied, Land Acquisition can begin. |
| 15. | When might ground be broken and when do you expect the first plane to land? Construction could begin as early as late 2006 and the LTC could open in late 2008. |
| 16. | What is Phase 1 and what is the cost? Phasing of the project will be determined in the Master Plan, which is expected to be complete in Spring 2003. |
| 17. | When might Phase 2 begin and what does it consist of? The Master Plan will identify the components of Phase 2. The timeframe and development details are market driven and will be determined by the Investor and the tenants. |
Economic Benefits
| 18. | What are the economic benefits? Potential economic benefits include new jobs, increased tax revenue, new business opportunities, better and improved transportation. Nichols State University will begin a detailed Economic Impact Study for the project next year. |
| 19. | What kinds of jobs can we expect and what guarantees will we have that companies won't bring in people from other states for these jobs? A variety of jobs ranging from High tech to unskilled, including research and development, service-related, manufacturing and construction could result from the facility. Part of the development program is to provide job-related education to support the project. |
| 20. | What if we don't have a workforce that's trained for these kinds of jobs? What are we doing to prepare? We will be coordinating with local and regional schools to bring them on board by providing information to them on the type of vocational and higher education that will be necessary. Other states have done this successfully, including having technical and vocational schools located on/near the site. |