EPA investigates Louisiana environmental, health agencies for discrimination in air permits

The Environmental Protection Agency is investigating whether two state agencies discriminated against black residents when they were involved in permitting decisions for two chemical plants and a grain terminal in St. John and St. James parishes, reports NOLA.com.

The probe centers on actions taken by the state Department of Environmental Quality and Health when DEQ considered permits during the past two years for the Denka Performance Elastomers plant, the proposed Formosa Plastics Sunshine plant and the proposed Greenfield Exports grain terminal, according to letters EPA sent to environmental groups announcing the start of its investigation.

They come five months after EPA Administrator Michael Regan promised a crackdown on permitting decisions along Louisiana’s chemical corridor. Read the entire story.