[StBernard] LRA Progress Report - Monday, May 12, 2008

Westley Annis Westley at da-parish.com
Mon May 12 21:26:04 EDT 2008


LRA Progress Report - Monday, May 12, 2008

In this issue:

* World's Largest Natural Gas Receiving Terminal Opens in Cameron Parish
* Festival-goers flood New Orleans, Reach Pre-Katrina Levels
* Jazz Fest Lands Busy Days at New Orleans Airport
* Trail Leads Visitors through Louisiana's African-American Heritage

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World's Largest Natural Gas Receiving Terminal Opens in Cameron Parish

Cameron Parish is now home to the world's largest natural gas receiving terminal. It opened for business in April west of Johnson Bayou. Situated at the mouth of the Sabine Pass, the terminal receives shipments of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and then converts the LNG back to a gaseous state ready for consumption.

Owned by Houston-based Cheniere Energy, Sabine Pass LNG is expected to play a critical role in meeting the country's energy demands. "The terminal puts Cameron Parish on the map as an energy gateway," said a Cheniere Energy spokesperson. At full capacity, as much as five percent of the United States' natural gas could pass through the facility. It is the first onshore LNG receiving terminal built in the United State since the early 1980s.

The terminal employs about 80 people. Cheniere Energy broke ground on the project in 2005 and came in on-time and on-budget, despite Hurricane Rita. Along the way, the company! constructed a health clinic for Cameron Parish.

* Click here for more about Cheniere Energy <http://www.cheniere.com/default.shtml>


Festival-goers Flood New Orleans, Reach Pre-Katrina Levels

Rainy weather couldn't dampen the enthusiasm of hundreds of thousands of people at this year's New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Organizers say 375,000 to 400,000 people attended the April 25-27 and May 1-4 event to see headliners including Sheryl Crow, Al Green, Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel and the Neville Brothers in their first return to Jazz Fest since Hurricane Katrina. In 2007, about 375,000 people attended. In 2005, the spring before Hurricane Katrina struck the city, about 400,000 came.

Meanwhile, the 25th Annual French Quarter Fest, held April 11 - 13, saw record-breaking crowds, reports the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau. An estimated 435,000 people watched more than 150 musical performances at Jackson Square, Woldenberg Riverfront Park, Bourbon Street and the Old U.S. Mint. French Quarter Festival is now the largest free festival in the South.

* Click here for more about Jazz Fest <http://www.nojazzfest.com/>
* Click here for more about the French Quarter Festival <http://www.fqfi.org/frenchquarterfest/>


Jazz Fest Lands Busy Days at New Orleans Airport

Four of the top 10 busiest days since Hurricane Katrina at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport came courtesy of this year's Jazz Fest. Airport officials say the day after Jazz Fest closed its two-weekend run, 17,937 passengers left the airport. That's second only to 19,188 who left the day after the LSU football team beat Ohio State in January for the national college title.

The airport, which cited federal security reports on the number of passengers screened, also attributes three other high-traffic days to this year's festival. Many airlines increased flights in anticipation of higher demand surrounding Jazz Fest.

Meanwhile, the first direct Jet Blue Airways flight from Boston landed in New Orleans on May 1. With the addition of this non-stop flight, Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport now reports 138 flights serving 38 cities.

* Click here for more about Louis Armstrong International Airport <http://www.flymsy.com/>


Trail Leads Visitors through Louisiana's African-American Heritage

The Louisiana Office of Tourism has announced the first phase of the Louisiana African American Heritage Trail. The trail consists of historical sites honoring African-Americans in Louisiana who changed the world through ideas, art and actions. Beginning in New Orleans, guests are invited to take a tour of Louisiana and visit churches, universities, marketplaces, caf s and the many other historical sites that contribute to Louisiana's unique culture. From the birthplace of jazz to the birthplace of Arna Bontemps, a leading writer in the Harlem Renaissance, the trail covers not only historical places but also looks at the everyday lives of African-Americans in Louisiana.

* Click here to travel the Trail online <http://www.louisianatravel.com/explore/cultural_history/african_american_heritage_trail/>


Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated South Louisiana, claiming 1,464 lives, destroying more than 200,000 homes and 18,000 businesses. The Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA) is the planning and coordinating body that was created in the aftermath of these storms to lead one of the most extensive rebuilding efforts in the world. The LRA is a 33-member body which is coordinating across jurisdictions, supporting community recovery and resurgence, ensuring integrity and effectiveness, and planning for the recovery and rebuilding of Louisiana.
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