December 5, 2024
Climate Change
Climate Change
President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet nominees signal a sharp turn toward fossil fuel expansion and climate deregulation. Key figures, including fracking executive Chris Wright f
Black Communities Fight for Cleaner Air in ‘Cancer Alley’
Summary
St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana is located in Cancer Alley, an 85-mile industrial area between New Orleans and Baton Rouge that is mostly Black. The EPA's National Air Toxics Assessment Results show that the parish has one of the highest cancer risks from air toxics. In 2016, 82-year-old Robert Taylor founded Concerned Citizens of St. John Parish to hold government and business responsible for air quality in the parish, which encompasses eight municipalities. Taylor and his family live a short walk from one of the 150 chemical and petroleum factories along the corridor, Denka Performance Elastomer, which produces chloroprene waste when making wetsuits, hoses, computer sleeves, and more. In 2010, the EPA listed chloroprene as a possible human carcinogen, and mice and rats have shown neurological, immunological, and respiratory issues. Taylor's group petitioned the EPA and the Organization of American States, filed complaints with the EPA and the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, marched through Cancer Alley to the governor's mansion in Baton Rouge, and traveled twice to Denka's headquarters in Japan and several times to Washington, DC, to advocate for change. Nearly half of children within a 1.5-kilometer (0.94-mile) radius of the Denka factory reported headaches, nosebleeds, or both in a University Network for Human Rights health survey. More than half of adults reported headaches, dizziness, or lightheadedness. One-third or more of local adults experienced chest discomfort, heart palpitations, wheezing, and eye and skin irritation. Epidemiologist and environmental engineer Vickie Boothe, MPH, compiled data from the Metropolitan Hospital Council of New Orleans and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showing that asthma-related emergency room visits among all parish residents are the highest in the state and third highest nationwide. Children living there are hospitalized for asthma at 2.5 times the rate in other parts of Louisiana and the US.
A $200 billion surge in liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects could release greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to the annual emissions of all global coal plants, raising significa
December 4, 2024
Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice
During his final overseas trip as president, Joe Biden highlighted the Lobito Corridor, an 800-mile U.S.-funded railway project in Angola connecting critical mineral-rich regions
December 3, 2024
Energy Justice
Energy Justice
Startups like Still Bright, Ceibo, and Jetti Resources are developing cleaner copper extraction technologies to meet surging demand driven by the energy transition. Innovations in
December 2, 2024
Energy Justice
Energy Justice
Long-duration energy storage (LDES) technologies, such as pumped hydropower and underground compressed air storage, are emerging as solutions to store renewable energy for extende
December 2, 2024
Energy Justice
Energy Justice
The Midwest Hydrogen Hub, spanning Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, and Michigan, has received $22.2 million as part of a $1 billion federal investment to expand clean hydrogen production
November 29, 2024
Climate Change
Climate Change
A new study reveals that air pollution from wildfires causes 1.5 million deaths annually, with over 90% of fatalities occurring in low- and middle-income countries, particularly i
November 28, 2024
Economic Justice
Economic Justice
A report from the National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB) reveals systemic racial bias in home appraisals has cost Black Americans $150 billion in home equity. Homes i
November 27, 2024
Climate Change
Climate Change
Community Church Atlanta transformed its Vicars Community Center into the city's first community-owned resilience hub, funded by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Equipped with
November 27, 2024
Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice
Michigan's Public Service Commission faces a lawsuit from about 80 townships and counties challenging its implementation of a new law, Public Act 233, which expedites permitting f
November 27, 2024
Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice
The fifth and potentially final round of U.N. plastic treaty negotiations (INC-5) in Busan, South Korea, centers on whether to impose global caps on plastic production. Advocates,
November 26, 2024
Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice
Highways in the Twin Cities have perpetuated environmental and social inequities, disproportionately affecting urban communities. Black residents were displaced during their const
November 26, 2024
Energy Justice
Energy Justice
Ahead of President-elect Trump’s inauguration, the Biden administration is fast-tracking clean energy investments. The Department of Energy announced nearly $12 billion in loans,
November 26, 2024
Climate Change
Climate Change
COP29 approved controversial rules for international carbon markets under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, enabling countries to trade emissions reductions. Critics argue the gui
December 25, 2024
Climate Change
Climate Change
COP29 concluded in Baku with a contentious climate finance agreement that left many nations dissatisfied. The deal commits wealthy countries to lead efforts to triple climate aid