LEONARD GRAY / L’Observateur / July 21, 1999

LAPLACE – Port officials took steps on Friday to combat a class-action lawsuit filed by Reserve residents regarding the stench from the port’s wastewater treatment ponds.

Meanwhile, a hearing is set Friday in Edgard to possibly certify one of four lawsuits filed so far as a class-action suit.

At a special meeting July 16, Bob Holden of Liskow & Lewis in New Orleans was hired to defend the port in the legal matters.

In addition, CRA Engineering of Baton Rouge gave a report in executive session on the state and condition of the ponds, in preparation for the port’s defense in the lawsuit.

The suits stem from neighbors enduring months of foul odors issuing from the ponds and affecting people in the Dutch Bayou and Star Terrace subdivisions who say their quality of life is badly affected. The ponds arelocated behind Delta Beverage on West 10th Street in Reserve.

Port director Gary LaGrange said the South Louisiana Port Commission agreed on July 16 to buy two new aerators for the treatment ponds at a total cost of $34,188 from Aqua Aerobic Systems Inc.

On June 23, port officials conducted a public sounding-board on complaints about the treatment ponds, but as a suit had already been filed, they could not respond to the public on advice of port attorney Joe Accardo.

LaPlace attorney Daniel Becnel Jr. filed the initial suit June 11 on behalfof several claimants and has filed two additional suits since that date.

Baton Rouge attorney J. Gregory Murphy filed a second lawsuit on June 18.Becnel’s suit is due for a certification hearing Friday before 40th Judicial District Judge Madeline Jasmine.

Holden said Monday he plans to call for a continuance at Friday’s hearing.

“More needs to be sorted out,” he commented.

Claimants said they suffer from headaches, nausea, rashes and other discomforts from the months of foul odors in the area and expressed their concern about possible long-term effects.

The geographic boundaries of the affected area is Central Avenue, Airline Highway, the Mississippi River and Marathon Avenue.

The port’s officials insist they have spent thousands of dollars and expended thousands of man-hours in fighting the smell.

“They’ve obviously responding very responsibly,” Holden asserted.

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