CHALMETTE, La. (WGNO) — An amendment has been filed by the St. Bernard District Attorney’s Office in the ongoing lawsuit against the Port of New Orleans.
The topic was expected to be discussed at length during the St. Bernard Port Authority meeting on Tuesday, March 12.
“It happened the way I played it out to happen,” Councilman Fred Everhardt said. “They wasn’t going to come out and give any kind of statement on what they going to do it or what not. We will soon find out but as of right now they just, they’re not going to do it.”
The new amendment names the St. Bernard Port Authority as a defendant and gives details of a 2020 Cooperative Endeavor Agreement where they transferred the property for the project to the Port of New Orleans.
“The suit was filed by the district attorney against the Port of New Orleans and the Port of New Orleans essentially said you got to bring in the Port of St. Bernard also they’re an indispensable party,” Attorney Sidney Torres said. “So, the Port of St. Bernard has to make a decision as to what their position is going to be in that lawsuit.”
Residents were given the opportunity to give a public comment. All three who spoke opposed the location of the terminal, calling it a mistake.
Torres said the fight is far from over and hopes the Port of New Orleans and St. Bernard Parish prioritize the citizens of the parish.
“This is a long way from a done deal the Port of New Orleans at this point it’s only established that they’ve created 1000-acre parking lot and they’re proposing to bring these gigantic ships 80 miles upriver to a deadlock location,” Torres said. “This is just an example of why this is never going to happen in St. Bernard.”
“I hope they join in on the district attorney’s lawsuit and we fight this as one,” Everhardt said. “It’s the right thing to do and I hope they uphold what the citizens of St. Bernard Parish want them to do.”
Officials with Port of New Orleans declined to comment. The next meeting is scheduled for April 9 at 12 p.m.
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