Over two years after the Environmental Protection Agency's "Journey to Justice" tour visited Louisiana, a trio of companies is paying the price with fines totaling nearly $1.5 million.
What's happening?
NOLA.com reported on the penalties levied for alleged Clean Air Act violations by a Westlake Chemical and Vinyls LLC manufacturing plant, Vopak Industrial Infrastructure Americas Hahnville bulk storage terminal, and DuPont's LaPlace chemical manufacturing facility.
The violations include exposing residents to dangerous levels of benzene, violations of startup, shutdown, and malfunction requirements, and unauthorized pollution from a floating roof tank.
"Many communities in Southern Louisiana live with a daily burden of pollution that would be unimaginable in other areas," said EPA Regional Administrator Dr. Earthea Nance in a news release.
Nance noted the EPA "worked directly with residents" and that the settlements "hold the facilities accountable and will prevent future excess emissions." That will be accomplished through measures like increased oversight, enhanced performance monitoring, new equipment, and third-party audits.
As far as the breakdown of the fines in the settlements, Westlake will pay $825,000, Vopak will pay $168,000, and DuPont will pay $480,000.
Why is holding polluters to account important?
Left to their own devices, it's becoming increasingly clear that many companies can't be trusted to properly monitor their pollution and comply with the law. That can pose major risks to local residents.
For one example, exposure to benzene pollution comes with numerous dangers, like increasing the likelihood of leukemia.
Specific to the "Journey to Justice" tour, low-income and minority communities often face more than their fair share of companies' pollution. The EPA started the campaign in 2021 to address environmental injustice for these underserved communities in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas.
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What's being done about companies' air pollution?
Initiatives like "Journey to Justice" provide an avenue for residents of all communities to engage with the EPA to address local polluters. Residents and whistleblowers play a major role in driving awareness of unlawful pollution.
Hefty fines and safety measures can do a world of good in affording residents cleaner, safer air. EPA enforcement has accomplished a lot when it comes to reducing oil and gas companies' benzene pollution, for one example.
Enforcing measures like the Clean Air Act swiftly and appropriately can deter companies from turning a blind eye to violations. Some of these violations go back years and take a long time to be addressed.
For instance, NOLA.com reported Westlake had 107 unanticipated releases of air pollution from February 2016 to February 2018, which the company failed to monitor properly.
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