Statement of Bullard Center on EPA Moves One Step Closer to Justice

EPA Moves One Step Closer to Justice

The EPA’s “Final Rule for Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturing Plants and Polymers and Resins Plants” is aimed at dramatically reducing pollution from several air toxics at209 petrochemical production facilities in the country.  Every single facility on the list is a “major point source polluter”.  Texas and Louisiana facilities make up 62% of the facilities on the list combined.  We applaud the EPA for focusing on these two Gulf Coast states that host a disproportionate number of plastics and petrochemicals plants in the country, states which then host outsized pollution burdens in disadvantaged communities.   

This is an overdue change and covers a host of potent air pollutants including benzene, 1,3-butadiene, chloroprene, ethylene dichloride, ethylene oxide and vinyl chloride. Community members in areas surrounding these plants have been over burdened by pollution from these industrial sources, and have been asking for years for reductions to debilitating pollution that has taken a profound toll on the health and well being of individuals and the social fabric.  This rule, combined with tighter EPA restrictions announced earlier this year on particulate matter (PM2.5) will go a long way toward alleviating some of these health burdens in communities, especially when the new rules are enthusiastically enforced. 

We look forward to seeing robust compliance with the new rules from the companies and facilities named, and we implore the EPA to provide robust monitoring and enforcement, along with data transparency.  We thank the EPA for taking bold steps toreduce air toxics, and for taking bold steps to get our communities closer to justice.