Grants to redevelop vacant properties in St. Bernard

The Regional Planning Commission in partnership with St. Bernard Economic Development Foundation was recently awarded a $500,000 Brownfield Assessment Grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to support economic development.

The money can be used for environmental assessments and technical assistance to help redevelop brownfield sites and for environmental cleanup plans.

Site that are a good candidates for brownfield assistance are: properties that were once developed but are now either underutilized or abandoned; land with real or perceived environmental contamination preventing redevelopment; and properties with planned redevelopments that are income-producing or for community benefit. The ideal candidates for funding have a redevelopment plan and at least partial funding in place.

To apply for a free assessment, or to learn more about the program, contact Meaghan McCormack at contact@sbedf.org or Adam Tatar, brownfield program coordinator at atatar@norpc.org.

Drax marks 200th shipment of renewable fuel

Drax recently loaded its 200th shipment of wood pellets at the Port of Greater Baton Rouge.

This amounts to more than 10 million tons having been shipped and used to generate renewable power for homes and businesses in the United Kingdom.

Drax produces the pellets from low-grade wood and residuals from forestry harvests in Louisiana and Mississippi. The company supplies 12% of the U.K.'s renewable electricity, fueling the country's largest renewable power generator and the biggest decarbonization project in Europe.

Danos completes acquisition 

Danos, a Terrebonne Parish energy services company, has acquired John Wood Group's offshore labor supply in the Gulf of Mexico.

This is the fourth acquisition since 2014 for Danos. The company has 2,700 employees, serving customers in 21 states. 

State launches new business accelerator program

Louisiana Economic Development and Techstars have launched a new startup accelerator program.

Techstars, a global investment business, will operate the program as part of an $80 million Advancing Cities Fund powered by J.P. Morgan. New Orleans is one of nine cities housing the program. GNO Inc. is the agency's regional partner in the project.

Participation is not limited to New Orleans businesses; Don Pierson, state economic development secretary, said entrepreneurs and early stage companies across the state will have equal access. 

Plans are to invest in 12 companies this year, with possible additional groups in 2024 and 2025. Applications for the 13-week accelerator program will be accepted through May 10.

To register, go to techstars.com