WALLACE, La. — Backers of the proposed $400 million Greenfield Export Grain Terminal in Wallace have new data to help bolster their case.
A new analysis from Greater New Orleans Inc., the region’s economic development nonprofit, projects that the facility would support nearly 1,000 jobs during construction and more than 371 new jobs in the community once it is open. The second number includes 100 direct jobs at the Greenfield site, 161 indirect jobs — including contractors and suppliers — and 110 jobs at restaurants and other supporting businesses.
The analysis also projects nearly $6 million in new tax revenue annually during construction and $8.4 million annually after opening.
The project has drawn resistance over the last two years from activists who say it would be located too close to the town, and it could create new environmental hazards and disturb unmarked slave burial sites. The Descendants Project, a St. John the Baptist-based nonprofit, is leading a lawsuit that challenges the property’s zoning for heavy industrial use.
In response, Greenfield said the project’s economic benefits outweigh the concerns.
“Every time we meet with neighbors on the West Bank, we hear about the need to get this area back on its feet. The new good-paying jobs we’ll be hiring for are a part of that, but this economic revival is also about the nearby restaurant or the local mechanic getting more business and hiring more workers, too,” said Cal Williams, COO of Greenfield Louisiana, in a press release. “Working together with our neighbors, we believe the grain terminal will help Wallace and the West Bank transition to a cleaner, more sustainable economy that builds prosperity and supports public health while also honoring and protecting the natural, cultural and historic resources of the region.”
“The residents of the River Region need good jobs that provide them the economic freedom to support their families,” said Michael Hecht, president and CEO of GNO Inc. “Our analysis indicates that the Greenfield project will help provide these jobs, and thus help the people of the West Bank of St. John the Baptist with opportunity for the future.”
GNO Inc. said it uses IMPLAN software to accurately model the economic impact of a project.