A modern industrial facility requires a large tract of land ideally located in an area designated for industrial use that has access to an existing transportation matrix for raw materials and products. In Louisiana, for example, the industrial corridor along the Mississippi River offers ready access to natural gas pipelines, rail transportation, and barge and ship loading and unloading.

However, when such large tracts are available, there is inevitably a community within a mile or two of the proposed location. Further, local governments in these communities are increasingly enacting ordinances that mandate local approval of facilities. These two developments present hurdles to successfully obtaining the necessary authorizations to begin construction. Continue reading “A Few Hurdles to Facility Siting” →