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The Independent
14-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Louisiana plant at the center of an environmental justice fight halts operations
A petrochemical plant in Louisiana accused of increasing cancer risks for a majority Black community indefinitely suspended operations largely due to the high cost of reducing toxic pollution. Japanese firm Denka announced Tuesday that its synthetic rubber facility hemorrhaged more than $109 million in the past year. The company cited weakening demand, staffing challenges and rising costs as reasons why 'improving profitability in the near term would be difficult.' Denka also attributed much of its financial woes to what it has described as 'unfair and targeted' pollution control measures. Last year, the Environmental Protection Agency sought to rein in dangerous chemical emissions from hundreds of facilities including Denka's. The Biden administration's environmental justice campaign spotlighted Denka's plant, located about 30 miles (48 kilometers) northwest of New Orleans in St. John the Baptist Parish. Under the Trump administration, the EPA withdrew a federal lawsuit against Denka alleging it exposed a predominantly Black population to unacceptable cancer risk — the highest nationwide — from the facility's emissions of chloroprene. Last year, officials shut down a nearby elementary school due to concerns about emissions exposure. 'I am elated that we are waking up every day now with no chloroprene in our air,' said Tish Taylor, a local environmental activist. She added that she was under no illusion that the company was concerned about its impact on her community's health: 'The petrochemical industry around us doesn't care about human beings. They care about their bottom line.' The cost to reduce pollution Denka produces Neoprene, a synthetic rubber used in wetsuits, laptop sleeves and other common products. In suspending operations, Denka cited the 'significant cost' of 'pollution control equipment to reduce chloroprene emissions,' which the company said it 'did not anticipate' when it purchased the facility from DuPont in 2015. The company also cited 'a shortage of qualified staff necessary to operate new pollution control equipment and implement other emission reduction measures.' In court filings last year, Denka said it had spent more than $35 million on equipment to reduce emissions by 85% since 2017. But harmful emissions consistently remained higher than federal guidelines. Denka said it remains 'deeply grateful' to Republican Gov. Jeff Landry, who supported the company last year as it fought an EPA rule mandating the facility swiftly reduce chloroprene emissions. While the Trump administration has pledged to rewrite this policy, the company noted the outcome remains uncertain. Denka said it is working with Landry's administration to consider 'all options,' including 'a potential sale of the business or its assets.' But no decision had been made regarding a 'permanent closure' of the facility or 'workforce reductions.' Landry did not respond to a request for comment. A market 'slowdown' Denka said it 'faces a sustained slowdown in the global market demand for Neoprene, along with increases in energy prices, raw materials, and repair work that have been exacerbated by inflation.' The company's statement noted 'rising energy costs,' 'weakening global economic environment for chloroprene' and 'supply chain disruptions" as other factors. The Denka facility needed large amounts of chlorine to produce chloroprene, said George Eisenhauer, an analyst with commodities consulting company Argus Media. It costs more than twice as much to purchase and import chlorine into the U.S. as it does in other leading chloroprene production sites like Europe, Japan and China, he said. The costs rose over the past few years after a major U.S. chlorine producer shut down, Eisenhauer added. Trump's tariff policies have not significantly affected the price because chlorine is typically imported into the U.S. through Mexico or Canada. Local activists remain wary Denka's facility is in the 85-mile (137-kilometer) stretch of the Mississippi River between New Orleans and Baton Rouge officially called the Mississippi River Chemical Corridor and commonly referred to by environmental groups as 'Cancer Alley.' Robert Taylor, 84, and other environmental activists warily celebrated Denka's announcement. Taylor, who lives near the facility, pushed for stronger environmental regulations, only to watch the Trump administration roll them back. 'They have given these guys all the protection they need from advocacy groups like mine,' he said, referring to the Trump administration. 'So that's why I am a bit puzzled by the action they (Denka) are taking now.' He wondered whether the company would eventually resume operations or sell the plant to a company that could restart production. 'I think the community needs to be on guard and be prepared to continue our advocacy for our clean air and safe environment.' ___ Brook is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
Associated Press
09-05-2025
- General
- Associated Press
How a Marathon Petroleum Grant Empowered a Future Teacher of the Year
Key Points Marathon Petroleum's commitment to St. John the Baptist Parish is already making a big impact for teachers in less three years since a major investment was made. In 2022, the company's Garyville refinery provided St. John the Baptist Parish Public School's (SJBP) with a $350,000 workforce development grant to help non-certified educators in the parish earn their full certification. That investment, which set out to cover the full cost for approximately 120 teachers, helped remove a major financial barrier for those looking to grow professionally, boost their pay and build stronger classrooms. Teachers like Diashiki Snyder-Brown, who says the grant, along with a strong desire to achieve her dreams, helped turn a leap of faith into a thriving career. 'I love it,' Snyder-Brown said. 'This is the first time I feel like I wake up ready to go to work every day.' Snyder-Brown left her job in business to pursue a longtime dream of becoming a teacher. In August 2022, she was just beginning the certification process. Even then, her passion was clear. 'I show up every day and give it my all,' she said. 'I focus on what matters, teaching one student at a time, one class at a time and doing what I can to make a difference.' Snyder-Brown is now a fully certified teacher at East St. John Preparatory Academy, where she teaches 7th grade math. She was recently named the 2024-2025 Teacher of the Year in St. John the Baptist Parish, the district's top honor. For the district's leadership, this kind of impact is exactly what the program was meant to spark. 'With partners like Marathon coming together to do what truly makes a difference, the impact has been invaluable,' said Dr. Kimberly Gales-Johnson, Chief of Staff for the school district. 'This is an investment in our teachers, our students and our entire school system, and one that will benefit us for years to come.' Dr. Jaimee Williams, the district's Chief of Academics, agrees, especially as the program also opens doors for paraprofessionals and support staff to earn associate degrees and grow into teaching roles of their own. 'Supporting their career growth benefits them and our students. It's a win-win,' Williams said. 'When staff feel invested in, student performance rises too.' According to Gales-Johnson, one of the biggest challenges to certification is cost. Without support, many educators simply don't or can't pursue it. 'That's why this matters so much,' Gales-Johnson said. 'Certified teachers are more likely to stay in the profession and stay right here in St. John Parish. This is a life-changing investment on many levels.' The workforce development program builds on the Garyville refinery's continued support for education in the parish, especially after Hurricane Ida in 2021, as part of a larger effort to help the community rebuild. Snyder-Brown hopes her story encourages others to take a similar leap. 'During the pandemic, I felt lost and unsure of what I wanted to do,' she said. 'This program and Marathon's support gave me the push I needed. Less than three years later, I'm Teacher of the Year. It's an incredible feeling, and I'm excited for what the future holds.' Joining Snyder-Brown are nine other educators who've become fully certified during the 2024–2025 school year alone, with more than 40 others currently enrolled in the scholarship-like program, a number the district hopes will continue to grow. Visit 3BL Media to see more multimedia and stories from Marathon Petroleum
