The
Louisiana DEQ issued a permit to a Chinese company for a Methanol plant in
St James Parish.
Ask no questions, tell no lies
The permit application claims lower emissions than what
would require a review for more stringent pollution controls, but fails to include
the emissions calculations in the permit record. Even EPA cannot obtain a copy
and LDEQ maintains it is not necessary. Thankfully, two environmental groups
filed a Petition to EPA to object to the permit.
Louisiana DEQ issued the permit anyway because the emissions data “ were certified as true by a responsible company official and a professional engineer. “ by the Associated Press June 01, 2015 St James methanol plant challenged by 2 environmental groups http://www.nola.com/business/index.ssf/2015/06/st_james_methanol_plant_oppose.html
Environmental Injustice
The Chinese
company had filed for expedited permits "to construct and operate a plant
on a sprawling 1,100 acres — situated between a high school, two churches and
an assisted living facility for senior citizens." “We
never had a town hall meeting pretending to get our opinion prior to them doing
it,” said Lawrence “Palo” Ambrose, a 74-year-old black Vietnam War veteran who
works at a nearby church. “They didn’t make us part of the discussion.” China’s Louisiana Purchase: Who’s building a methanol plant on the
bayou? Al Jazeera investigates ties between Louisiana and the Chinese
government in a proposed $1.85 billion methanol plant January 26, 2015 5:00AM
ET by Massoud Havoun http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2015/1/26/chinas-louisiana-jindal-methanol-plant-environment-racism.html
The parish has since then voted to tax themselves to move the community
high school and seem to think that’s enough responsibility for driving people
out of their homes. “School
officials are planning to move St. James High School from the heavily
industrialized location on the west bank of the parish to a 54-acre tract of
land near La. 20 and La. 3127. A parish master plan has indicated more
corporations will move to the already industrialized area and drive homeowners
to other residential areas. “ By Kate
Stevens January 21,2015 St. James School Board seeks to place bond proposal
before voters. http://theadvocate.com/news/11325507-123/st-james-school-board-seeks
“But Black
residents in the southern Louisiana region where the plant is to be built, St.
James Parish, didn’t even find out about the project until after local and
state officials and Chinese diplomats decided to move forward with it last
July—helped substantially by a $9.5 million incentive package from Gov. Bobby Jindal’s
administration.” Typically, LDEQ air
permit application copies are available at the public library and online if you
know about it and know the project
number assigned. A notice is published in a local paper, but the average citizen
is unaware local officials have already made agreements. China Is Building a $1.85B Methanol Plant in
‘Cancer Alley’ Louisiana But No One Bothered To Inform Its Predominantly Black
Community -- January 29, 2015 Posted by
Nick Chiles http://atlantablackstar.com/2015/01/29/china-is-building-a-1-85b-methanol-plant-in-cancer-alley-louisiana-but-no-one-bothered-to-inform-its-predominantly-black-community/
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