New Methanol Plant Planned for Plaquemines Parish

BELLE CHASSE, LA (AP) — State officials have announced that Castleton Commodities International LLC plans a $1.2 billion methanol manufacturing plant in Plaquemines Parish.

         News releases from Gov. Bobby Jindal and the state economic development office Friday say the project will create 50 jobs with an average annual salary of about $72,000. There also will be 1,000 construction jobs.

         Castleton expects to begin construction in 2016. The plant is planned for the Braithwaite area along the Mississippi River.

         State incentives include tax breaks through the state's Quality Jobs and Industrial Tax Exemption programs, and training of workers through the Louisiana Economic Development agency's "Faststart" program.