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Donaldsonville councilman wants pile driving project to stop until changes are made
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DONALDSONVILLE - A city councilman is suggesting a pile driving project stop until changes are made. It's a project 2 On Your Side has been reporting on since last week.
At a community meeting Monday night, Donaldsonville councilman Rev. Charles Brown suggested issuing a cease and desist to the company handling the job.
"The people in that area are really hurting, it is impacting their life immensely and I think we need to do something," Brown said.
Homeowners have reported gas leaks, sewer leaks, cracks in their homes and pools, intense vibration and a noise level that is "unbearable."
Jim Blanchard works out of his house. He is an architectural archival artist and says the vibrations have greatly impacted his work.
"I can't work here, my table vibrates, my lights shake," Blanchard said.
A few hundred feet away from his back yard the Bayou Lafourche Fresh Water District is building a new pump station. Sealevel Construction is handling the job. The $96 million project will help combat saltwater intrusion along the coast and provide fresh drinking water to over 300,000 people in Assumption, Ascension, Lafourche, and Terebonne parishes. The noise and vibration is coming from pile driving.
"I suggested that the project stop all together until they hear the cries of the people in that area," Brown said.
The Donaldsonville Council has already voted to temporarily stop work on the weekends.
At the meeting several property owners shared their personal experiences with the project. Sealevel Construction and the Bayou Lafourche Fresh Water District were invited to attend. While the contractor attended, the Fresh Water District did not.
"No one showed up!" Brown said.
The city is looking for answers about what will be done to help these property owners taking the brunt of the pile driving.
"A lot of promises and no action from them," Blanchard said.
The city attorney is looking into the council's request for a cease and desist.
Neither the Bayou Lafourche Fresh Water District nor Sealevel Construction returned requests for comment.
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