300 square milesof Louisiana’s most beautiful countryside that lies between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, has long been home to major industrial activity along the Mississippi River. As its economy diversifies, it has also emerged as a prime location for major retailers and a destination for Hollywood movie makers. With the draw of booming residential developments and one of the top 410 public scho
ol systems in the state, the parish has become one of the nation’s fastest-growing areas. Ascension Parish continues to benefit from major new investments by the petrochemical and biofuels industries along its industrial corridor adjacent to the Mississippi River. One of the most significant recently announced projects is the Dynamic Fuels LLC facility,which is nearing completion near Geismar. Dynamic Fuels is a joint venture between Tyson Foods and Syntroleum Corp. that will convert waste animal fats, oils and greases into a highly purified, clean-burning syntheticfuel aimed principally at transportation markets. The nearly $170 million facility is the first of its kind in the U.S. One of the key selling points of these industrial assets is Ascension’s strategic geographic location. The parish provides easy access to the Gulf of Mexico and is ideal as an operations or logistics hub for the entire Gulf Coast. It has one of the fastest-growing populations and labor markets in both the state andnation. Its highly ranked public school system is complemented by a community college, a technical college, a major research university just 20 miles away and severa lother colleges and universities within easy driving distance.
