If you are not redirected, click here to email.
To: Natalie.R.Page@usace.army.mil
CC: mayor@nola.gov, arthur.walton@nola.gov, Oliver.Thomas@nola.gov, helena.moreno@nola.gov, JP.Morrell@nola.gov, bouiej@legis.la.gov, hse099@legis.la.gov, stopthegrainterminal@gmail.com
Subject: Public Comment: MVN-2007-04294-ENP
Message:
Dear Ms. Page and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
I am writing to formally express my strong opposition to the proposed Sunrise Foods International Grain Terminal at the Alabo Street Wharf (Permit Application No. MVN-2007-04294-ENP). I also respectfully request the Corps to hold a public hearing on this matter.
The modifications requested for this project pose significant, foreseeable harm to our community. Since residents first became aware of the plans in September 2024, the proposal has been met with widespread opposition. This opposition includes formal resolutions passed by both the Orleans Parish and St. Bernard Parish City Councils urging an end to the project, along with thousands of signed petitions requesting a USACE public hearing (available upon request at stopthegraintrain@gmail.com). Such broad and organized resistance underscores the substantial public interest and concern surrounding this project.
The applicant has demonstrated a troubling pattern of avoiding public engagement and oversight. When the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality granted a public hearing for its state air permit, Sunrise Foods abruptly withdrew the application, while still pushing the project forward. This avoidance of accountability raises serious concerns about transparency and compliance.
The proposed facility would sit inside the densely populated, historic Holy Cross Neighborhood, with plans for further expansion. Its operations depend on the rehabilitation of an old street car line that runs alarmingly close to homes, sometimes within twenty feet, and directly blocks driveways as the rail line cuts down the middle of neighborhood streets. This train route would travel along Alabo Street, St. Claude Avenue, and through the Arabi Arts District, passing 27 intersections in less than one mile. Twice-daily runs, combined with the applicant’s stated intent to increase rail traffic over time, would create relentless disruption. The vibrations threaten to damage historic structures, while increased rail traffic would hinder emergency response, interrupt all public transit lines, and destabilize local businesses.
The health and safety risks are equally concerning. Grain dust exposure, excessive high decibel noise pollution, constant train horns near bus stops, unprotectable rail lines, potential vegetable deodorization refining, levee trail access removed for half the neighborhood, putrid odor from fermenting grain spilled around the facility, and vibrations from passing trains all pose significant risks to physical and mental well-being. Children would lose safe spaces to play, elderly residents would face heightened health vulnerabilities, and homeowners risk losing generational wealth as quality of life declines and property values plummet.
This project represents a dangerous departure from the historic use of the Alabo Street Wharf. While the community has tolerated ongoing port activities in the past, the proposed grain terminal is fundamentally different in scale, intensity, and risk. Its cumulative impacts would be insurmountable and lasting, threatening the health, stability, and very character of our neighborhoods across multiple parishes. It's also worth noting that another viable location for the Sunrise Foods grain terminal had been scouted and found at Avondale Global Gateway, a 200-acre industrial facility far from residential properties.
For these reasons, I urge the Corps to hold a public hearing for this permit modification and to extend the public comment period. Our voices must be heard before irreversible harm is done.
With Grit,