Frequently Asked Questions

Have more questions? You’re not alone, since Sunrise Foods International and the Port of New Orleans have attempted to keep this grain terminal project out of the public eye. Here are some of the most common questions we’re asked in the course of our outreach.

Will the grain terminal bring jobs to the community?

 

No, the grain terminal is not going to create new job opportunities for local residents. The project is anticipated to involve seven employees during Phase One – four Sunrise Foods International employees and three security guards. During Phase Two, another three positions for Sunrise Foods International employees will be added. There is no assurance or reason to believe these jobs will go to local residents.

 

How would the grain be transported and handled? And where is it coming from in the first place?


Sunrise Foods International would use the grain terminal to import grain from Eastern Europe. Cargo would arrive in ocean-going bulk vessels and be offloaded via conveyor belts, stored in large piles in the wharf warehouses, and transferred by conveyor belts to freight trains.


How much of a concern is grain dust, really? Don’t they have regulations to keep it under control?


Yes, grain dust really is a concern. Prolonged exposure has been shown to contribute to chronic respiratory disease. The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) does set standards for exposure limits – but standards don’t actually prevent exposure. Neither do they prevent accidents. Under certain conditions grain dust can combust, leading to devastating explosions. Over the past five years there have been between seven and ten grain dust explosions per year in the United States; all those facilities were subject to OSHA regulations.

 

What about these railroad lines? I understand they will bring noise and pollution but will they also be a danger to children and pets?

 

Norfolk Southern has a terrible safety record and a history of putting profits before people. The railroad lines that will be used to transport the grain are decades old and run dangerously close to people’s houses on streets where neighborhood children play every day. In 2024, the Federal Railroad Administration offered more than a billion dollars in grants for eliminating and adding safety improvements to exactly these kinds of street level railroad crossings. Meanwhile, Sunrise Foods gave $3.3 million to Norfolk Southern so that they could avoid the oversight and regulations that accompany Federal money. They intend to put these decades old rail lines back into service with nothing more than a railroad crossing sign at each intersection.

Isn’t this just another NIMBY (Not In My BackYard) complaint?

It’s understandable that some people may interpret local opposition to neighborhood development as a NIMBY response. Just ask yourself – would you like freight trains running down the middle of your street, blowing their horns fifteen feet away from your home? Would you like to breathe in harmful grain dust every day for the next fifteen-plus years? Would you like to see your home’s property value decrease by 7%?

 

The people involved in stopping this project are a diverse coalition; while we can’t claim to speak for everyone, many of us would like to see Port NOLA find a constructive use for this mostly derelict wharf. The community has made numerous suggestions to Port NOLA for other uses of the property; the Port responded in no uncertain terms that this is their property, and they have no interest in hearing how the community would like to see it developed.

Does the City Council have any say in this? Can the City Council stop this?


The answer to this one is, yes and no. The City Council can intervene, but it would require a zoning or permitting ordinance. We have been working with District E Councilmember Oliver Thomas to advance multiple ordinances that could affect this project.

 

Have you contacted lawyers?

Yes. Legal action is coming soon.

What are your needs right now? How can I help?

At present, we are most in need of funding and outreach support. Please contact us if you’re interested in getting involved.

How is it possible that we only found out about this now?

 

Sunrise Foods International and Port NOLA have taken steps to keep public awareness of the grain terminal to a minimum. After negotiating the terms of their arrangement in secret under a law allowing Port negotiations to be hidden from public record, the project’s sponsors filed two obscure public notices in the Advocate in order to comply with legal obligations. They have largely kept quiet since then. The Port has resisted disclosing information about the project, while Sunrise has broken up its plans for expanding the wharf into different projects to make it more difficult to research. Nearly all of our information has come via Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, not from the project’s sponsors.

We will continue to update this page with additional information as it arises. In the meantime, consider whether you can support our work by volunteering some of your time, signing our petition, and/or by making a financial donation.