Black Communities In Louisiana Far More Exposed To Industrial Pollution

"Louisiana communities containing industrial plants and high percentages of Black residents experienced seven to 21 times more toxic air emissions than similar locations with higher percentages of White residents, according to a new study by researchers with the Tulane Environmental Law Clinic.

Those findings include the 184-mile stretch of the lower Mississippi River from just north of Baton Rouge to Plaquemines Parish that’s often referred to by environmentalists and some community residents as “cancer alley." They include some parishes considered by the Environmental Protection Agency as having the highest risk of cancer in the nation due to air emissions.

"Our study provides conclusive evidence that communities of color are disproportionately affected by industrial air pollution in Louisiana and that state environmental regulation is the driving force of this disparity,” concluded the study, which is being considered for publication in the scientific journal Environmental Challenges, but is still undergoing peer review."

Mark Schleifstein reports for Nola.com November 16, 2022.

Source: Nola.com, 11/21/2022