Jefferson Parish OKs new industrial penalties of up to $50k | Jefferson Parish
Jefferson Parish can now fine industries that violate local ordinances up to $50,000 after the Parish Council repealed a previous law that capped penalties at only $500.
The council on Wednesday unanimously approved new penalties of up to $25,000 for a first offense and up to $50,000 for subsequent offenses for industrial properties who violate local ordinances, as well as fines of up to $1,000 and/or imprisonment up to six months for all non-industrial properties, including residential homes.
The new rules, proposed by Parish Council member Deano Bonano, follow a state law passed last year that replaced a previous law that restricted any penalties in Jefferson Parish to a maximum of $500.
That previous $500 limit came into the spotlight in 2023 after Dyno Nobel, an ammonia manufacturer, built a $26 million, natural-gas powered boiler on the campus of Cornerstone Chemical Company in Waggaman without obtaining proper approval from the state or parish.
The parish discovered the improper construction about eight months after it started, and issued a notice of violation against Cornerstone and its tenant.
However, when the parish voted to consider possible penalties the following December, they realized they could only fine Cornerstone or Dyno Nobel $500. The council chose instead to grant the permit without bringing down any punishments, calling it an “exercise in futility.”
Rep. Debbie Villio, R-Kenner, brought the bill forward in the 2024 legislative session to increase that penalty limit to $50,000.
According to Bonano, a judge could also choose to assign the maximum penalty for each day a violation occurs under the new ordinance.
Prior to the vote, Cornerstone said in a statement that strive to meet or exceed both industry standards and regulatory requirements.
Dyno Nobel sold its ammonia plant at Cornerstone in December 2023 and no longer operates there.
The new penalties come a year after Bonano spearheaded a series of new zoning regulations for industrial properties, including a 24-hour staffed hotline, odor control plans and buffer zones between hazardous materials and residential areas.
