Energy & Environment — Judge blocks federal regulation in Louisiana’s ‘Cancer Alley’

Presented by Ceres — Judge James D. Cain, a Trump appointee, ruled against residents of a stretch of parishes along the Mississippi River known as "Cancer Alley."

View Online Energy & Environment Energy & Environment   PRESENTED BY  The Big Story  Judge bars EPA action in Louisiana's 'Cancer Alley' A federal judge has blocked the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) from enforcing Title VI of the Civil Rights Act's disparate-impact requirements against Louisiana agencies. © Giles Clarke/Getty Images Judge James D. Cain, a Trump appointee, ruled Tuesday against residents of a stretch of parishes along the Mississippi River known as "Cancer Alley," an epicenter of petrochemical manufacturing in the U.S. with disproportionately high rates of cancer.    Last year, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry (R), then the state attorney general, sued the EPA to block a civil rights investigation into potential disparate impacts in the largely Black area of the state, arguing the probe exceeded statutory authority. The agency closed three civil rights complaints weeks later, but in his Tuesday ruling, Cain said existing regulations also constitute federal overreach.   In the preliminary injunction, he wrote that the EPA and DOJ are barred from "imposing or enforcing any disparate impact based requirements against the State of Louisiana or any State agency under Title VI."   Cain wrote that "pollution does not discriminate" and that "if a decision maker has to consider race, to decide [on enforcement] it has indeed participated in racism."   The judge's ruling comes the same day as a report from the National Minority Quality Forum, which found that 56 percent of communities of color are sited within 3 kilometers of a site producing carcinogenic waste. The town of Reserve in St. John the Baptist Parish has cancer risks about 50 times the national average.   Read more at TheHill.com. Welcome to The Hill's Energy & Environment newsletter, we're Rachel Frazin and Zack Budryk — keeping you up to speed on the policies impacting everything from oil and gas to new supply chains. Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here. Essential Reads  How policy will affect the energy and environment sectors now and in the future: Biden vetoes GOP-led effort to repeal waiver of 'Buy America' requirements for EV charger materials President Biden is vetoing a Republican-led effort to remove his waiver of "Buy America" requirements for iron and steel that get incorporated into federally funded electric vehicle (EV) chargers.  Full Story Tribes sue Biden administration over permits for high-voltage transmission line Two Native American tribes and the Center for Biological Diversity sued the Biden administration over a high-voltage transmission plan they say violates federal laws protecting cultural sites.  Full Story Majority of America's underground water stores are drying up, study finds Many of America's critical sources of underground water are in a state of rapid and accelerating decline, a new study has found.  Full Story In Other News  Branch out with a different read from The Hill: Manchin blasts Biden guidance on EV charger tax credit: 'Spits in the face of rural America' Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) is criticizing the Biden administration's broad interpretation of who can qualify for tax credits for electric vehicle chargers, saying its recent policy "spits in the face of rural America." Full Story A MESSAGE FROM CERES What We're Reading  News we've flagged from other outlets touching on energy issues, the environment and other topics: Montana regulators uphold utility's 28% percent electric rate increase (The Billings Gazette)   Coal executive tapped to lead GOP fundraising effort (E&E News) Devastating drought in Amazon result of climate crisis, study shows (The Guardian) What Others are Reading  Two key stories on The Hill right now: Collins, leading Senate GOP centrist, won't endorse Trump in 2024  Sen. Susan Collins (Maine), the top-ranking Republican on the Senate Appropriations Committee and a key figure in getting bills passed through Congress, says she will not endorse former President Trump, even if he becomes the Republican Party's nominee for president.  Read more Trump sees warning signs with voters ahead of November Former President Trump appears to be on a glide path to the Republican nomination after the first two primary contests, but his victories in Iowa and New Hampshire contained warning signs about his potential vulnerability in a general election. Read more Opinions in The Hill  Op-eds related to energy & environment submitted to The Hill: America faces a looming LNG debacle Why are 'charities' funneling millions into climate change lawfare?   You're all caught up. See you tomorrow!  Check out The Hill's Energy & Environment page for the latest coverage. Like this newsletter? Take a moment to view our other topical products here 📩 Privacy Policy  |  Manage Subscriptions  |  Unsubscribe  1625 K Street NW, 9th Floor, Washington, DC 20006 Copyright © 1998 - 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved.

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