04.09.15. A federal judge is to consider whether to hand down a preliminary injunction to overturn a stop-work order issued by the St James Parish (Louisiana) that halted construction at Petroplex International’s tank farm.
Baton Rouge newspaper The Advocate reported that the motion for the preliminary injunction, filed 28 July in the US District Court’s Eastern District in New Orleans, came at the request of Petroplex attorneys who say the stop-work order is costing the company millions of dollars.
The Advocate quoted Petroplex managing partner and CEO Larry Sciacchetano as saying that it might even be too late for the company to rebound if its investors have disappeared and the bank has foreclosed on the property after nine months of inactivity even if the US District Judge grants the preliminary injunction on 2 November.
A lawsuit filed by Petroplex attorneys earlier this year and the motion for preliminary injunction both claim Petroplex was deprived of its constitutional right to due process when the parish issued a notice of violation and the stop-work order 3 December 2014, and then refused to hold a public hearing on the matter with Petroplex officials.
Parish officials allowed Petroplex representatives to make a presentation at a 7 January parish council meeting but council members asked no questions or made any comments, Petroplex attorneys stated in the lawsuit.
