By: Jackson Girard
Over the last two hundred years, exponential growth driven by the industrial revolution has lifted millions out of poverty, reshaping communities and societies.[1] Behind this growth lies the darker truth of the sacrifice of community health. It is time to confront who has truly borne the price of progress.[2] One of the starkest examples of the hidden costs of progress is found in Cancer Alley.
Confirming the fears of environmental groups, on March 19 U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Benjamin A. Kahn approved the abandonment of cleanup obligations in thirty-three Kentucky coal mines previously owned by coal company Blackjewel LLC.[1] Approximately 170 other Blackjewel facilities in Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Virginia will fall into a legal gray area as the company attempts to sell the mines to other coal companies.[2] Cleanup obligations for any permits not sold or transferred within six months will be abandoned.[3]
General Iron has been making headlines for more than a year because of its pollution issues and recent attempt to relocate. RMG, General Iron’s parent company, has closed its long time North Branch-located metal shredding and recycling operation.[1] For many North Side neighbors, the facility’s closure was a win after a years-long battle to close the facility over environmental health and safety concerns from the facility’s operations, such as two explosions over the past five years.[2]
But there has been significant public outcry against General Iron’s plans to relocate to the Southeast side of Chicago at 116th and Burnham Street. Coalitions of Southeast side residents have been protesting for months, advocating for better air quality and preventing the relocation of General Iron to their neighborhood. The Natural Resource Defense Council has drawn national attention to the facility’s explosions, contribution to air pollution, and desire to move to a predominantly Latinx neighborhood.[3]
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (“Corps”) made a last-minute recall of a permit given to Formosa Plastics for the construction of a new petrochemical plant along the Mississippi River in St. James Parish, Louisiana.[1] The Corps explained in a recent court filing that “[d]urging its review of the permit, it has now come to the Corps’ attention that an element of the permit warrants additional evaluation.”[2] The motion came just a day before the court’s deadline for the agency to file its cross-motion for summary judgment.
Environmental advocacy groups and local residents had been pressing the Corps to deny Formosa the permit, arguing construction of the petrochemical plant would exasperate the public health concerns in St. James Parish.[3] The area is predominantly black and low-income; the per capita income is about 40% lower than the national average.[4]
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