Page 2 - aruba-today-20240410

A2 UP FRONT
Wednesday 10 april 2024

New EPA rule says 218 U.S. chemical plants must reduce toxic emissions

From Front permitting requirements."
The Denka plant, which
By MATTHEW DALY makes synthetic rubber,
Associated Press has been at the center of
WASHINGTON (AP) — More protests over pollution in
than 200 chemical plants majority-Black communi-
nationwide will be required ties and EPA efforts to curb
to reduce toxic emissions chloroprene emissions, par-
that are likely to cause ticularly in the Mississippi
cancer under a new rule River Chemical Corridor,
issued Tuesday by the En- an 85-mile (137-kilometer)
vironmental Protection industrial region known in-
Agency. The rule advances formally as Cancer Alley.
President Joe Biden's com- Denka said it already has
mitment to environmental invested more than $35 mil-
justice by delivering criti- lion to reduce chloroprene
cal health protections for emissions.
communities burdened by The EPA, under pressure
industrial pollution from eth- from local activists, agreed
ylene oxide, chloroprene to open a civil rights investi-
and other dangerous gation of the plant to deter-
chemicals, officials said. mine if state officials were
Areas that will benefit from putting Black residents at
the new rule include ma- Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan appears at the White House in increased cancer risk. The
jority-Black neighborhoods Washington, Nov. 27, 2023. Associated Press agency initially found evi-
outside New Orleans that dence of discrimination,
EPA Administrator Michael the new rule will reduce edly have suffered the cost ment fenceline monitoring, but in June it dropped its in-
Regan visited as part of ethylene oxide and chloro- of being in close proximity the EPA said, addressing vestigation without releas-
his 2021 Journey to Justice prene emissions by nearly of chemical plants — but health risks in surrounding ing any official findings and
tour. The rule will significant- 80%, officials said. not just chemical plants, communities and promot- without any commitments
ly reduce emissions of chlo- The rule will apply to 218 chemical plants that don't ing environmental justice in from the state to change its
roprene and other harm- facilities spread across the follow the rules.'' Louisiana and other states. practices.
ful pollutants at the Denka United States — more than Carter said it was "critically The Justice Department Regan said the rule issued
Performance Elastomer fa- half in Texas or Louisiana. important that measures sued Denka last year, say- Tuesday was separate from
cility in LaPlace, Louisiana, Plants also are located in like this are demonstrated ing it had been releasing the civil rights investigation.
the largest source of chlo- two dozen other states, to keep the confidence of unsafe concentrations of He called the rule "very
roprene emissions in the including Ohio and other the American people.'' chloroprene near homes ambitious,'' adding that
country, Regan said. Midwest states, West Virgin- The American Chemistry and schools. Federal reg- officials took care to en-
"Every community in ia, Pennsylvania, New York Council, which represents ulators had determined sure "that we protect all of
this country deserves to and throughout the South, chemical manufacturers, in 2016 that chloroprene these communities, not just
breathe clean air. That's the EPA said. The action said it was reviewing the emissions from the Denka those in Cancer Alley, but
why I took the Journey to updates several regulations rule but criticized EPA's use plant were contributing communities in Texas and
Justice tour to communi- on chemical plant emis- of what it called "a deeply to the highest cancer risk Puerto Rico and other ar-
ties like St. John the Bap- sions that have not been flawed'' method to deter- of any place in the United eas that are threatened by
tist Parish, where residents tightened in nearly two de- mine the toxicity of ethyl- States. these hazardous air toxic
have borne the brunt of cades. ene oxide. Denka, a Japanese com- pollutants.''
toxic air for far too long," Democratic Rep. Troy Cart- "We also remain con- pany that bought the for- While it focuses on toxic
Regan said. "We promised er, whose Louisiana district cerned with the recent on- mer DuPont rubber-making emissions, "by its very na-
to listen to folks that are suf- includes the Denka plant, slaught of chemical regula- plant in 2015, said it "vehe- ture, this rule is providing
fering from pollution and called the new rule "a mon- tions being put forth by this mently opposes" the EPA's protection to environmen-
act to protect them. Today umental step" to safeguard administration,'' the group latest action. tal justice communities —
we deliver on that promise public health and the envi- said in a statement. With- "EPA's rulemaking is yet an- Black and brown commu-
with strong final standards ronment. out a different approach, other attempt to drive a nities, low-income commu-
to slash pollution, reduce "Communities deserve to "the availability of critical policy agenda that is un- nities — that have suffered
cancer risk and ensure be safe. I've said this all chemistries will dwindle'' in supported by the law or the for far too long,'' Regan
cleaner air for nearby com- along,'' Carter told report- the U.S., harming the coun- science," Denka said in a said.
munities." When combined ers at a briefing Monday. "It try's supply chain, the ACC statement, adding that the Patrice Simms, vice presi-
with a rule issued last month must begin with proper reg- said. agency has alleged its fa- dent of the environmental
cracking down on ethylene ulation. It must begin with The new rule will slash more cility "represents a danger law firm Earthjustice, called
oxide emissions from com- listening to the people who than 6,200 tons (5,624 met- to its community, despite the rule "a victory in our
mercial sterilizers used to are impacted in the neigh- ric tonnes) of toxic air pol- the facility's compliance pursuit for environmental
clean medical equipment, borhoods, who undoubt- lutants annually and imple- with its federal and state air justice."q