SLU Says Carbon-capture Researcher’s Dismissal Not Related to Her Lake Maurepas Findings

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - A north shore state lawmaker is renewing her call for the US Army Corps of Engineers to complete a full environmental-impact study on a proposal to inject carbon dioxide one mile beneath Lake Maurepas.

The call comes after the removal last week of a professor involved in environmental testing for the project.

The waters around Lake Maurepas have provided an abundance of seafood and hunting activities for many, but there are concerns for its future.

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Last week, Southeastern Louisiana University replaced Dr. Fereshteh Emami, a principal researcher in a project aimed at measuring the impacts of a test well drilled by Air Products. The well is the first to inject carbon from a clean energy plant one mile beneath the surface of Lake Maurepas.

Just days after the Louisiana Illuminator reported that she was involved in a report that showed high levels of heavy metals such as arsenic, lead, cadmium and other metals, Emami was removed from the project.

University sidelines scientist who exposed toxic metals in Lake Maurepas

North shore lawmaker Rep. Kim Coates (R-Ponchatoula) met with SLU president William Wainwright to express concerns, and was told the removal had nothing to do with the testing.

"He assured us it’s an HR personnel issue, and they’re handling it internally, and that research is going forward," Coates said.

SLU denied Fox 8’s request for an interview, but said in a statement, "It is standard procedure to not provide reasons for discontinuation of a position or personnel issues."

The statement went on to say that Southeastern stands by "all peer-reviewed research of our esteemed scientists," adding that "Air Products had no control or influence over the research, its findings, or its publication."

And in another statement issued late Monday night by SLU spokesman Mike Rivault, the university said, "Dr. Emami published the paper reporting on and analyzing heavy metals in Lake Maurepas in the fall of 2024 in a peer-reviewed scientific journal. That paper was then featured in an article by the Illuminator in June of this year.

"Her findings and report were well known to the scientific community for months before this past week. There was no correlation between the paper she published, the article on that paper and its findings, and her removal from the project."

Coates has written a letter to the US Army Corps of Engineers, calling for a full environmental impact study of the carbon-capture project that promises 2,000 construction jobs, and 170 permanent positions, with an average salary of $93,000 a year.

Air Products said it had no one available for an interview.