portvinton

VINTON, La. – Louisiana Economic Development has finalized a $5.9 million FastSites investment to accelerate infrastructure improvements at the Port of Vinton site in Calcasieu Parish, strengthening the state’s ability to maintain competitiveness for major projects.

“This project at the Port of Vinton demonstrates how FastSites moves sites from planning to progress by putting critical infrastructure in place when it’s needed,” LED Secretary Susan B. Bourgeois said. “With industrial activity already underway, this investment ensures Louisiana is ready to support new growth, keep projects on track and compete for future investment.”

The state’s investment will support construction of a 600-foot-long by 50-foot-wide barge berth, including a steel sheet pile bulkhead, access drive and pile-supported concrete crane platform.

Infrastructure improvements will enhance marine access for existing port customers and increase capacity by an estimated 20 barges per year.

“By expanding marine infrastructure and increasing site readiness, we are creating new opportunities for industry while strengthening our ability to serve both existing and future port users,” Vinton Harbor & Terminal District President Jerry Merchant said. “This investment helps position Port of Vinton for long-term growth and reinforces Southwest Louisiana’s role as a competitive destination for industrial development.”

The Port of Vinton site is a publicly owned, shallow-water port strategically positioned to support port-driven industry and logistics activity in Southwest Louisiana. Located near the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway and Interstate 10, the port offers 14 available tracts totaling more than 600 acres zoned for light and heavy industrial use.

The FastSites investment will also advance site development and infrastructure improvements needed to support Aclara Resources’ $277 million heavy rare earth separation facility, advancing the project timeline by approximately two years.

“Louisiana’s ability to operate at the speed of business has been a major advantage for this project,” Aclara U.S.Chief Financial Officer Alonso Guzman said. “The FastSites investment is helping accelerate critical site infrastructure, which allowed our team to submit our air permit application ahead of schedule and maintain strong project momentum. It also gives us an opportunity to engage the community earlier and provide meaningful insight into our facility and operations at a pace we’re extremely encouraged by.”

Site preparation has already begun and the project is expected to be completed by early 2028.

“This project reflects the intent behind the Legislature’s creation of the Site Investment and Infrastructure Improvement Fund,” Louisiana State Senator Mike Reese said. “What makes it especially impactful is the speed and coordination between the public and private sectors to identify a critical need and deliver a solution that will create lasting benefits for Southwest Louisiana.”

“The Aclara Project is not only a great addition to the Vinton Port along with the Vinton Community but a critical asset to our country as well,” Louisiana State Representative Les Farnum said.

As part of the FastSites program, the Port of Vinton investment is structured to return capital to the state as development moves forward. The Cooperative Endeavor Agreement outlines a repayment schedule beginning in January 2027 and concluding March 31, 2028. This model allows Louisiana to reinvest those funds into future site and infrastructure projects, creating a sustainable pipeline of development-ready sites statewide.

“This groundbreaking represents another strategic investment in the long-term growth and diversification of Southwest Louisiana’s industrial economy,” Southwest Louisiana Economic Development Alliance President and CEO Scott Walker said. “As a designated Louisiana FastSite, the Port of Vinton demonstrates the value of proactive infrastructure investment and site readiness in attracting industrial development aligned directly with the priorities outlined in the Accelerate SWLA strategic plan. This project is a strong example of what can be accomplished when local, regional and state partners work together with a shared vision for growth.”

About FastSites

FastSites is a Louisiana Economic Development initiative designed to transform land and existing infrastructure into project-ready sites that position Louisiana to compete for new economic development opportunities. Backed by the $150 million Site Investment and Infrastructure Fund created by Act 365 of the 2025 Regular Legislative Session, FastSites supports proactive site development by investing in infrastructure, due diligence and other readiness activities that reduce time, risk and cost for future projects. Learn more at: https://www.opportunitylouisiana.gov/fastsites.

About LED

Louisiana Economic Development is responsible for driving capital investment, job creation and economic opportunity for the people of Louisiana and employers of all sizes. Explore how LED is positioning Louisiana to win at OpportunityLouisiana.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Emma Wagner, LED Executive Director of Communications
[email protected]
912.467.2117

Jacey Wesley, LED Strategic Communications Manager
[email protected]
225.342.5536

• The project is expected to create nearly 600 new job opportunities.
• The facility will strengthen U.S. supply chain independence by producing heavy rare earth elements essential to a wide range of leading technologies.
• Construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2027.

VINTON, La. — Aclara Resources Inc. announced a $277 million investment to construct the first U.S. heavy rare earth separation facility at the Port of Vinton in Calcasieu Parish, establishing Louisiana as a leader in sustainable rare earth production and strengthening the nation’s advanced technology supply chain.

The company is expected to create 140 direct new jobs at its first U.S. location. Louisiana Economic Development estimates the project will result in an additional 456 indirect jobs, for a total of 596 potential new job opportunities in the Southwest Region.

“By choosing Louisiana for its first U.S. facility, Aclara is recognizing what we already know, our state is leading the next generation of energy and technology innovation,” said Governor Jeff Landry. “We’re excited to welcome the Aclara team to Louisiana, and we look forward to the jobs, growth and opportunity this project will deliver for our people, our communities — and for a Louisiana economy that’s ready to power and lead our nation’s future.”

The new facility will use Aclara’s proprietary sustainable extraction technology to produce the heavy rare earth elements essential for electric vehicles, wind turbines, drones and robotics, which rely on advanced permanent magnets. By processing material from Aclara’s mineral deposits in Brazil and Chile, the Louisiana operation will create a reliable and sustainable U.S. supply of these materials.

“We are pleased to announce that we have secured a premium site in Louisiana for our U.S. heavy rare earth separation facility,” Aclara Resources CEO Ramón Barúa said. “From the beginning, our priority was to identify a location that could support rapid development, given the urgent need to establish a reliable supply of these critical minerals. The reception from Governor Landry and his team has been outstanding, and Louisiana’s LED program offers exactly the kind of pro-investment environment this strategic sector requires.

Equally important, Louisiana provides ready access to the key reagents we depend on, helping ensure operational reliability and lower transportation costs. The state’s world-class chemical industry and highly skilled workforce made the decision even more compelling. Simply put, Louisiana has everything we were looking for.

Our project is unique in the Western world: with direct access to our ionic clay deposits, this will be the only fully integrated heavy rare earth separation operation capable of producing material volumes at scale. We are moving at an accelerated pace to bring supply online as quickly as possible, and we currently expect our projects to converge and enter production by mid-2028.”

The Aclara facility will occupy an LED Certified Site at the Port of Vinton, prequalified for industrial development through extensive environmental and engineering reviews. The company selected the location after evaluating more than 100 potential U.S. sites for its proximity to key chemical suppliers, access to Gulf Coast logistics and availability of a skilled industrial workforce.

“Louisiana is proud to welcome Aclara and the innovation it brings to our industrial landscape,” LED Secretary Susan B. Bourgeois said. “Aclara’s investment underscores the importance of development-ready sites and strong local partnerships that give global companies the confidence to choose Louisiana. The project builds on our state’s strengths in advanced manufacturing and workforce excellence, reinforcing Louisiana’s leadership in industries vital to the nation’s energy and defense security.”

Construction is expected to begin in 2026 and be completed in 2027. The facility will be built in phases, beginning with the rare earth separation plant, followed by potential future expansions to support downstream processing and alloy production as part of Aclara’s long-term growth strategy.

“This facility will become a cornerstone of critical minerals reindustrialization in the Western Hemisphere,” Aclara COO Hugh Broadhurst said. “Louisiana was selected for its robust chemical and manufacturing ecosystem, attractive investment policies, experienced industrial workforce, and strategic geographic location. The incentive package offered by the State of Louisiana underscores the State’s commitment to attracting high-technology and sustainable manufacturing investments.”

“Aclara’s investment in Vinton marks a defining moment for Southwest Louisiana. This project not only brings hundreds of high-quality jobs and significant economic growth, but it also positions our region at the forefront of America’s sustainable rare earth production and advanced technology supply chain,” said Judd Bares, Calcasieu Parish Police Jury President. “The Police Jury invested in significant infrastructure improvements to make this area a prime location for this type of major project, so I am happy to see the Parish’s proactive spirit meet industrial ingenuity to further diversify our region’s economy.”

To win the project in Vinton, the state of Louisiana offered Aclara Resources a competitive incentives package that includes the comprehensive workforce development solutions of LED FastStart and a $3 million performance-based grant for utility and infrastructure improvements. The company is also expected to participate in the state’s High Impact Jobs and Industrial Tax Exemption program.

“This project is a tremendous win for Southwest Louisiana and for America,” said Scott Walker, President and CEO of the Southwest Louisiana Economic Development Alliance. “Aclara’s investment marks a milestone that strengthens and diversifies our economy and reflects the forward-thinking spirit of our region. It’s exciting to know the work done here will be providing a component critical to America’s defense, national security and many technologies that drive modern life. The Calcasieu Parish Police Jury and the Port of Vinton did a tremendous job building out the infrastructure to make this project achievable. This project represents the best of what’s possible when state, regional, and local partners work together.”

Register here to be notified about Aclara Resources Inc. job opportunities, hiring events and news updates:
https://aclara-re.com

About Aclara

Aclara Resources Inc. (TSX: ARA), a Toronto Stock Exchange listed company, is focused on building a vertically integrated supply chain for rare earths alloys used in permanent magnets. This strategy is supported by Aclara’s development of rare earth mineral resources hosted in ionic clay deposits, which contain high concentrations of the scarce heavy rare earths, providing the Company with a long-term, reliable source of these critical materials. Learn more at:
https://aclara-re.com

About LED

Louisiana Economic Development is responsible for driving capital investment, job creation and economic opportunity for the people of Louisiana and employers of all sizes. Explore how LED is positioning Louisiana to win at:
https://OpportunityLouisiana.com

MEDIA CONTACTS

Ramón Barúa Costa
Aclara Chief Executive Officer
[email protected]

Emma Wagner
LED Communications Director
[email protected]
912.467.2117

Jacey Wesley
LED Strategic Communications Manager
[email protected]
225.342.5536

VINTON, Louisiana — Climeworks, a developer of direct air capture (DAC) technology, has announced plans to build a facility in southwest Louisiana as part of the Project Cypress DAC Hub.

The company will mobilize an additional $50 million in private investment to match the initial $50 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Energy to create one of the world’s largest DAC hubs.

The company is expected to create 140 direct new jobs with an average annual salary of $123,000.

Climeworks also estimates that the project will support 800 construction jobs.

Louisiana Economic Development estimates that the project will result in 329 indirect new jobs, for a total of 469 new jobs in the Southwest Region.

“Louisiana has the keys to drive global growth, innovation and excellence in the energy sector now and for generations to come,” LED Secretary Susan B. Bourgeois said. “We are excited about the unique opportunity this project represents for the workers of southwest Louisiana, and look forward to working with Climeworks and our partners to make their vision a reality.”

The new facility, known as Project Cypress Southwest, is a joint effort between Climeworks and independent nonprofit science organization Battelle. It would be built on private land next to the Port of Vinton.

“Louisiana is of particular interest to us for several reasons,” Climeworks Chief Project Development Officer Daniel Nathan said. “The porous geology of the subsurface – which has been well-studied by the U.S. Geological Survey – provides extensive capacity for safe and permanent carbon dioxide storage. In addition, the state’s long history in manufacturing and industrial processes has made for a workforce ideal for supporting the needs of a Direct Air Capture hub – jobs that will be additive to the companies with a longstanding presence in the area.”

DAC technology extracts CO2 directly from the atmosphere at any location — differing from carbon capture, which is generally carried out at the point of emissions.

Climeworks is working to secure a service provider to transport and store the captured CO2 safely underground at a carbon sequestration site to be determined at a later date.

Climeworks expects to make a final investment decision and begin construction in Q3 of 2026. Production at the new DAC facility is anticipated to begin by the end of 2027.

To support the project in Calcasieu Parish, LED offered the company a competitive incentives package including the comprehensive workforce development solutions of LED FastStart. The company is also expected to participate in the state’s Industrial Tax Exemption and Quality Jobs programs.

“Climeworks is wielding a new solution to the ongoing issue of carbon dioxide and its effect,” Southwest Louisiana Economic Development Alliance President and CEO George Swift said. “Their direct air capture facility will not only mean 140 direct jobs but also hundreds of ancillary jobs and widespread economic ripples in the Vinton community. They are investing in Vinton today and their work also invests in the future of our region.”

ABOUT CLIMEWORKS

Climeworks is a global leader in carbon removal, empowering companies to advance their net-zero roadmaps and fight global warming. It develops, builds, and operates direct air capture plants to remove CO2 from the air on a billion-ton scale in 2050.

It runs the world’s first and largest operational direct air capture plant in Iceland, exclusively on renewable energy. Through collaboration with companies like Carbfix, Climeworks ensures that the captured CO2 is permanently removed from the atmosphere and safely stored underground for thousands of years. All carbon removal services delivered are verified by independent third party DNV.

ABOUT LED

Louisiana Economic Development is responsible for driving capital investment, job creation and economic opportunity for the people of Louisiana and employers of all sizes. Learn more about LED is at opportunitylouisiana.com.

January 16, 2019
by Gus Fontenot
Southwest Louisiana Economic Development Alliance

Vinton Harbor & Terminal District Board President Jerry Merchant unveiled a conceptual sign today to be posted on Southwest Louisiana’s newest certified site at the Port of Vinton. Representatives from Louisiana Economic Development (LED), the Board of Commissioners for the Vinton Harbor & Terminal District, Calcasieu Parish Police Jury, City of Vinton, Entergy Louisiana, SWLA Economic Development Alliance and others were on hand for the ceremonial event today at Vinton City Hall.

The new sign, donated to the port by Entergy Louisiana, advertises the 156-acre Site #11, designated as an official Certified Site under LED’s Site Certification Program. The port hopes this designation attracts new tenants to the property, which is zoned for heavy industrial use.

“We believe the Port of Vinton will help sustain the economic activity we are seeing today in Southwest Louisiana,” said Board President Jerry Merchant. “Having a certified site will hopefully kickstart that activity and will continue to serve our community well into the future.”

The Port of Vinton site is the 10th certified site in Southwest Louisiana and the seventh in Calcasieu Parish, but only the second site west of the Calcasieu River.

“The western part of Calcasieu Parish is positioning itself to be a prime area for development,” said Gus Fontenot, Project Coordinator for the Southwest Louisiana Economic Development Alliance. “A ‘shovel-ready’ certified site is an asset that can hopefully lure the kind of activity that will bring new jobs and opportunities to the Vinton area,” added Fontenot.

LED administers the Site Certification Program, which promotes sites that are “shovel ready” for businesses to build or locate. Since 2012, the state’s Site Certification Program has incentivized land owners to get property certified by offering to pay up to 75 percent of the costs associated with the due diligence process. That process includes environmental inspection, elevation surveys, archaeological investigations, a wetlands delineation, and much more in-depth documentation, analysis, and background work. The remaining 25 percent of the costs are covered by the landowner or others.

For more information about Southwest Louisiana’s Site Certification Program, contact Gus Fontenot at The Alliance (337) 433-3632 or email [email protected].

VINTON, La., October 23, 2018 — Port of Vinton officials announced this week that dredging operations near the mouth of the Vinton Navigation Channel has been completed.

Magnolia Dredging of Mandeville, La., was the contractor on the $1.098 million maintenance dredging project that removed more than 21,400 cubic yards of spoils over a 24-week period. The southernmost portion of the channel where it enters into the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway was returned to an elevation of minus-10.5 feet, and the spoils were relocated onto nearby private open-water areas to create new marshlands in an environmentally beneficial use manner.

“It has been more than seven years since any maintenance dredge work has been performed on the channel, and in that time, a naturally occurring ‘humping’ of sediment near the mouth of the channel has gradually represented a growing navigation issue on the waterway for shallow water maritime vessels and barges,” said Jerry Merchant, president of the Port of Vinton board of commissioners.

“During the deepening of approximately 2,000 linear feet of the channel, the port also took the opportunity to modify the two corners of land bordering the channel where it enters into the GIWW,” he added.  “This is especially important for tugboat operators to make their navigation into the channel from the GIWW an easier task.”

The initial phase of the project focused on preparing the land area that was selected to receive the dredge spoils,” Merchant explained. “We are especially appreciative for the cooperation of the Stream Land Company for partnering with the port in making their property available to receive the dredge spoils.”

Merchant said that the Port of Vinton and its tenants offer a variety of specialized services that accommodate the expansion of our Southwest Louisiana regional economic development.

“High on that list is the 11-year presence of Dunham/Price on 75 acres of port property adjacent to the channel where it has the nation’s largest manufacturing site for steel-reinforced 40-foot concrete pilings as well as other pre-cast concrete materials,” he explained. “We are also home to a division of Performance Blasting & Coating that offers industrial painting and sandblasting services.”

Merchant was very complimentary of the port’s board of commissioners that led the way in applying for Calcasieu Parish funding support through a cooperative endeavor agreement with Gravity Drainage District No. 2.

“Our expansion project would not have been possible without a parish $200,000 Economic Development Riverboat Gaming Fund grant and a parish $500,000 Road and Drainage Trust Fund grant awarded specifically through the drainage district for the dredging project,” he said. “Virtually all of the runoff in the area’s water shed is directed toward the channel as it ends up draining into the GIWW.”

Located just minutes off Interstate 10 south of Vinton, the Port of Vinton has approximately 600 acres of industrial-zoned property for lease.