Gulf Coast communities face hazardous air pollution from refineries, despite the Biden administration's promises for action.
Anna Phillips, Amudalat Ajasa, and Timothy Puko report for The Washington Post.
In short:
- The Environmental Protection Agency is under scrutiny for its slow response to toxic air pollution in Gulf Coast communities, particularly from oil refineries and chemical plants.
- Despite promises from the Biden administration, the EPA struggles with enforcement, leaving communities exposed to dangerous levels of benzene and other pollutants.
- Internal challenges and staffing shortages at the EPA, along with political and bureaucratic hurdles, hinder effective action against polluters, impacting predominantly Black and Latino neighborhoods.
Key quote:
"Our health lets us know that something isn’t right. We’re being attacked by the industry because we’re vulnerable people and really, nobody cares about us."
— Lois Malvo, Gulf Coast resident
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