The Police Jury’s September guest slate paired youth services, an overview of solar regulations, and public comments from logging interests centered on carbon capture.

Jeff Arnold, executive director of Energy Right, briefed jurors on Act 279 (a state law that establishes a new permitting and regular framework for larger renewable energy facilities, mostly solar or wind projects) and proposed statewide rules for ground-mounted solar facilities of 10 acres or more. He said parishes can opt out of certain state siting requirements by resolution and adopt local ordinances, leaving behind a guidebook and sample ordinance for the Jury’s consideration.

District Judge Anastasia Wiley outlined steps to create a Children and Youth Planning Board (CYPB), including membership ranges, duties and open meetings requirements. The CYPB is a community collaborative that assesses the needs of local children, youth and their families to coordinate available resources and develop thorough plans to improve their outcomes. Wiley noted that she is hosting training on Trust Based Relational Intervention, an event addressing the complex needs of children who face adversity, neglect or abuse, for community leaders on Oct.1 which she hopes will later be used annually in the developing CYPB model.

During public comments, Toni McAllister, speaking for the Louisiana Loggers Association and local loggers, said the Campti mill closure removed a key outlet for pulpwood and cost Winn Parish about 140 jobs. She pointed to a potential Sun Gas project at the former Boise site in Pineville as a way to restore markets, citing estimates of 2 million tons of pulpwood in the first five years, roughly 1,500 startup jobs, 500 permanent jobs and a $2 billion ethanol plant, with carbon capture as part of the plan. In light of the Region VIII meeting held Sept. 16, she asked jurors to consider whether such projects could help the industry while protecting local drinking water and to support leadership willing to ask hard questions.