cancer alley
Newsletter
Credit: fredleonero/Big Stock Photo
Activists urge Louisiana to reject 2,400-acre plastics plant permits
Environmental advocates want Louisiana to block air permits for a planned 2,400-acre plastics facility due to new federal air quality standards and concerns over toxic pollution.
In short:
- EarthJustice and six environmental groups argue the Formosa Plastics project in St. James Parish would violate EPA standards for particulate matter, also called "soot" and dust.
- EarthJustice submitted a letter urging the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality to deny Formosa’s permit renewal, arguing it would exacerbate the already poor air quality in the communities of the corridor between New Orleans and Baton Rouge known as “Cancer Alley.”
- The U.S. EPA and local residents are also pushing for an investigation into mercury-laden dust from the Atalco Gramercy refinery.
Key quote:
“When they get this application, they need to reduce Formosa Plastics emissions so that it isn’t worsening the problem.”
— Mike Brown, senior attorney with EarthJustice.
Why this matters:
The proposed plastics plant could worsen air quality in an area already plagued by industrial pollution. Advocates are particularly concerned about "Cancer Alley," a stretch of the Mississippi River between Baton Rouge and New Orleans known for its high concentration of petrochemical plants and elevated cancer rates. They worry that adding another massive facility to this already burdened region would exacerbate existing health disparities.
Keep reading...Show less
Credit: Denny Franzkowiak/Pixabay
Federal judge challenges EPA's pollution rules in Louisiana
In a significant legal development, a federal judge has temporarily halted the enforcement of Environmental Protection Agency regulations aimed at reducing pollution in minority and low-income areas in Louisiana.
In short:
- The ruling temporarily blocks the EPA from enforcing "disparate impact" rules, which mandate lower pollution levels in minority and low-income areas compared to majority white areas.
- The lawsuit, initiated by then-Attorney General Jeff Landry, challenges the constitutionality of the EPA's actions and their alignment with the Clean Air Act.
- Judge James Cain's decision raises questions about the balance between environmental justice and legal boundaries set by Congress and the Civil Rights Act.
Key quote:
"The public interest here is that governmental agencies abide by its laws, and treat all of its citizens equally, without considering race. To be sure, if a decision maker has to consider race, to decide, it has indeed participated in racism. Pollution does not discriminate."
— U.S. District Judge James Cain
Why this matters:
This case underscores the complex intersection of environmental justice, racial equity, and legal frameworks. It's a pivotal moment for communities in "Cancer Alley" and beyond, highlighting the ongoing struggle to balance public health needs with regulatory boundaries. This decision could set a precedent affecting national environmental policies and health outcomes, especially in vulnerable communities.
Louisiana’s “Cancer Alley" has the grim distinction of having the nation’s highest levels of carcinogen-laced air.
Keep reading...Show less
Photo by ADIGUN AMPA on Unsplash
Judge limits EPA regs in La. minority, low-income areas
A federal judge in Lake Charles has at least temporarily blocked the Environmental Protection Agency from enforcing so-called "disparate impact" rules in Louisiana that require industries to reduce toxic pollutants in minority and low-income areas, such as the so-called "Cancer Alley" region along the Mississippi River.
Top Story
Credit: Ted Auch/FracTracker Alliance/Flickr
A Louisiana court just revived plans for the country’s biggest plastics plant
An appeals court cleared the way for the chemical giant Formosa Plastics to start building its $9.4 billion complex in Cancer Alley.
Newsletter
In case you missed it: Louisiana rushes buildout of carbon pipelines in Cancer Alley
As the Biden administration funds carbon sequestration projects, residents worry about ruptured pipelines and mass asphyxiation from leaks.
Photo by Patrick Hendry on Unsplash
Institute, WV sues the EPA to spur action on toxic air pollution
Institute, one of two majority-Black communities in the state, was left out of a regulatory effort earlier this year to tighten limits on cancer-causing chemicals.
Revealed: Louisiana created alleged conflict of interest in ‘Cancer Alley’ case
Louisiana AG hired lawyers for EPA negotiations who were also representing chemical firm at center of inquiry, documents show.
ORIGINAL REPORTING
MOST POPULAR
CLIMATE
