WASHINGTON – The Justice Department recently announced it has dropped a federal lawsuit against a Louisiana petrochemical plant linked to heightened cancer risks in the local community, primarily made up of Black residents. This decision has been framed by the department as part of fulfilling President Trump’s promise to revamp federal enforcement initiatives.
The case, which started two years ago, was seen as a significant part of the Biden administration’s push for environmental justice, aimed at rectifying the impacts of industrial pollution on marginalized communities. In early 2023, President Biden’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) took legal action against the Denka Performance Elastomer plant, claiming it was responsible for excessive emissions of chloroprene, a chemical that poses serious health risks, especially to children.
The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in Louisiana and was formally withdrawn recently. This move aligns with a broader trend by the Trump administration to reverse many environmental policies established under Biden. The EPA has also retracted their earlier referral of the Denka case to the Justice Department, further influencing the legal landscape surrounding industrial regulation.
Denka, which took over the former DuPont plant in LaPlace, Louisiana, a decade ago, produces neoprene—a synthetic rubber used in items like wetsuits and laptop sleeves. The facility is near a local elementary school and has faced scrutiny over its environmental practices. The government’s lawsuit claimed that the air quality near the plant reached levels far exceeding acceptable limits for chloroprene exposure.
The dismissal of the lawsuit is seen by some as a relief for Denka, which criticized the legal action as unfounded. The company argued that real-world data showed no adverse health effects from their emissions, even at higher levels than previously reported.
The area surrounding the Denka plant, colloquially known as “Cancer Alley,” is notorious for high cancer rates due to numerous petrochemical facilities, which contribute significantly to the nation’s industrial output. This region is home to approximately 200 such operations and makes up about 25% of the U.S. petrochemical production.
Overall, the recent developments reflect a shift in how environmental enforcement is approached, emphasizing legal consistency and the removal of previously employed environmental justice doctrines as enforcement strategies. The full impact of these changes on public health and air quality remains to be seen.
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Source linkBusiness,Adam Gustafson,Joe Biden,environment,Climate,Donald Trump,Washington news
