In a significant move for environmental justice, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency unveils a new rule targeting toxic emissions from chemical plants, aiming to safeguard low-income and minority communities from heightened cancer risks. But it doesn't end the struggle for overburdened residents of Louisiana's Cancer Alley.
Julie Dermansky reports for DeSmog.
In short:
- The EPA unveils new regulations targeting toxic emissions from chemical plants, aiming to reduce cancer risks in surrounding communities.
- Louisiana's Cancer Alley faces challenges as proposed industrial projects threaten to exacerbate air pollution.
- Community activists express gratitude for the new rules but emphasize that the fight for environmental justice is far from over.
Key quote:
"We have had enough of them telling us about jobs and the economy when our health is suffering."
— Barbara Washington, co-founder of Inclusive Louisiana
Why this matters:
These regulations are designed to update and tighten rules that have been unchanged for over a decade, targeting hazardous air pollutants like ethylene oxide and chloroprene, which are known to increase cancer risks. The proposal is part of the broader Biden administration’s commitment to addressing environmental inequalities and protecting communities that have historically been burdened by industrial pollution.
