A lawsuit that halted an investigation in Louisiana’s ‘Cancer Alley’ is having a chilling impact on other environmental justice cases.
After a lawsuit killed an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) investigation into civil rights violations in an area of Louisiana known as ‘Cancer Alley,’ environmental justice activists point out that the lawsuit is having a ‘chilling effect’ on other civil rights investigations, “effectively hamstringing what had been a historic aggressive approach from the agency on environmental justice issues under President Biden.”
As Willy Blackmore explains in Word In Black, “the very foundation of the EPA’s ability to investigate and act on” civil rights violations may be at risk, even as the agency had just begun to consider serious enforcement.
According to attorney Lisa Jordan, the lawsuit “challenges the entire regulatory program.” If it reaches the Supreme Court, it could have a major impact on the EPA’s power to investigate environmental justice claims. The agency recently also dropped an investigation in Flint, Michigan. “The investigation was dropped just days after the EPA abandoned the Cancer Alley one.”
FULL STORY: The EPA Is Dropping Climate Justice Investigations Left and Right
Court Bars EPA Probes in Louisiana’s ‘Cancer Alley’
A federal court ruling effectively prevents the Environmental Protection Agency from pursuing civil rights claims in one of the nation’s most polluted regions.
26-Year-Old Civil Rights Complaint Finally Ends
The legal controversy over the Genesee Power Plant in Flint, Michigan has finally ended, with a court forcing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to better investigate and resolve complaints of environmental discrimination.
The EPA's Lackluster Environmental Justice Record
The Center for Public Integrity has released a report criticizing the EPA's environmental justice competence. In only 12 cases has the agency taken official action on behalf of communities affected disproportionately by polluters.
National Parks Layoffs Will Cause Communities to Lose Billions
Thousands of essential park workers were laid off this week, just before the busy spring break season.
Retro-silient?: America’s First “Eco-burb,” The Woodlands Turns 50
A master-planned community north of Houston offers lessons on green infrastructure and resilient design, but falls short of its founder’s lofty affordability and walkability goals.
Delivering for America Plan Will Downgrade Mail Service in at Least 49.5 Percent of Zip Codes
Republican and Democrat lawmakers criticize the plan for its disproportionate negative impact on rural communities.
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Balancing Bombs and Butterflies: How the National Guard Protects a Rare Species
The National Guard at Fort Indiantown Gap uses GIS technology and land management strategies to balance military training with conservation efforts, ensuring the survival of the rare eastern regal fritillary butterfly.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
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