"The facility is being touted by state leaders as key to the clean energy transition — and job creator for residents of Louisiana’s ‘Cancer Alley’"

"It wasn’t Kimbrelle Eugene Kyereh’s intention to become a community leader when she moved back to her hometown of St. Rose, Louisiana in 2017. But it’s the role she felt she had to take when she learned a petrochemical company had plans to build a $4.6 billion blue ammonia plant in her predominantly Black community.

Kyereh, 54, already lives on the fenceline of International-Matex Tank Terminals’ 216-tank bulk liquid facility that serves as a storage site for products including ethanol, renewable diesel and petroleum products, chemicals that she fears are damaging her health. The plant was cited last month by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for excessive emissions and unsafe conditions at its storage tanks.

What is worrying Kyereh these days is St. Charles Clean Fuels’s plans to build a blue ammonia plant and store its liquefied ammonia on the IMTT site. The company says the massive facility will play a key role in the country’s transition from fossil fuels to cleaner energy."

Terry L. Jones reports for Floodlight August 20, 2024. [2]