ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST PARISH, La. — For environmental activists in the River Parishes, it is a long-fought victory.
On Thursday, EPA Administrator Michael Regan revealed the agency will be tightening restrictions on chemical pollution.
He made the announcement in LaPlace less than two miles from the plant owned by Denka Performance Elastomer. Regan said he chose the site after visiting St. John Parish in 2021.
"I met with families all across this community. And nearly every person that I spoke with knew someone who suffered from an illness that they believed was connected to the pollution in the air they breathe," Regan said.
According to the EPA, the new regulations will reduce emissions of toxic chemicals by more than 6,000 tons a year. Once that happens, 96% of people who live near chemical plants will not be considered "at risk."
Almost 80 chemicals are targeted in the plan. One of them is chloroprene, which the EPA classifies as a "likely carcinogen." In a February 2023 court filing, the Justice Department wrote that "long-term chloroprene concentrations in the air near Denka’s LaPlace facility that are as high as 14 times the levels recommended for a 70-year lifetime of exposure."
Another is ethylene oxide, or ETO, which is emitted by two nearby chemical plants in St. John Parish. The EPA considers ETO a proven carcinogen.
The new rules will also remove pollution limit exceptions during hurricanes.
"People don't stop breathing during hurricanes," Regan said.
Regan's comments garnered applause several times. The group Concerned Citizens of St. John was invited to the press conference.
President Mary Hampton expressed optimism that the new rules will bring about real, and lasting, change. She said "this is the first time the EPA has stepped up to say they’re going to help," adding that "this is a great day for St. John."
According to Regan, the rules are still being worked out in court. He estimated they would be finalized by Spring of 2024.
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