[New post] Tax Exemptions Saving Cancer Alley’s Petrochemical Industries
Joey Oh posted: " https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwa5BHwl_XU Source from YouTube, PBS News Hour 2020 The latest report of toxics release inventory (2019) in U.S. from Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has indicated that Louisiana is the state of highest toxic emi"
The latest report of toxics release inventory (2019) in U.S. from Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has indicated that Louisiana is the state of highest toxic emission and pollution heath risk amongst the others. Moreover, St. James Parish is considered to be the most affected county in Cancer Alley, and in 2000, it was ranked 90th county in the US that produced highest amount of cancer-causing pollutants (National Academy of Public Administration, 2003; Blodgett, 2006, pg. 649). There are reasons why petrochemical industries are concentrated in Louisiana, especially the southern part, Cancer Alley, stretching through the Mississippi River down to New Orleans.
Moreover, a case study of St. John Parish and Denka petrochemical facilities dwelling in this parish has revealed the correspondence of proximity of Denka facilities and cancer risk by utilizing Monte Carlo analyses of cancer prevalence of previous 23 years (Nagra, Ruhan, et al., 2021). And it has revealed that the survey sample of St. John Parish has significantly higher risk in the area adhere to Denka facilities than the areas further from it. As shown below residents living in Zone 1 has 6.7% of observed cancer prevalence whereas Zone 2 was indicated as 5.4% according to Nagra's research.
The Cancer Alley is heavily populated with Black communities and is well known for a land that was past slavery plantation that now has petrochemical facilities bombarded in their descendants' residences. From Blodgett's research on Cancer Alley, with the aid of geographic information system (GIS) mapping, it points out that petrochemical facilities are densely located in the parts of parish that encompasses the highest percentage of Black residents whom have no high school diploma and the lowest household income. In other words, these petrochemical sites chose the poorest and the weakest communities that has no power of influence to chase them out (Blodgett, 2006).
In contrast to this, the other side of the parish where petrochemical industries are not heavily populated and where it is more of a white hood are known to be homes for the employees and employers of these petrochemical industries in Cancer Alley (ibid).
It is ironic but quite apparent that the workers of these industries are protected from the government instead of the black communities that has lost their basic life indicators from them.
Population of Black Residents in Cancer Alley. Source from cartographer Alex Sharpiro (2009); EPA US Census Bureau (2000)
Population of living below poverty line in Cancer Alley. Source from cartographer Alex Sharpiro (2009); EPA US Census Bureau (2000)
Population of adults who has high school education. Source from cartographer Alex Sharpiro (2009); EPA US Census Bureau (2000)
Population of White Residents. Source from cartographer Alex Sharpiro (2009); EPA US Census Bureau (2000)
The approach for environmental justice has shown a progress which on June 24th, 2016, Governor John Bel Edwards has met an agreement with Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP) which it allowed participation of local governing bodies in decision making that regarded local property tax exemptions. This change has planted a seed of hope and relieved the black communities as they could take their actions to diminish the petrochemical industries. However on February 21st, 2020, ITEP has revised its terms and ultimately resulted in change of rules that permitted the appeal of private businesses that have been denied of any tax breaks by local governing bodies (Lash, 2021).
According to the reports from UN, it has asserted that "the federal environmental regulations have failed to protect people residing in "Cancer Alley"" (2021). To be specific, St. James Parish Council has ratified the Sunshine Project in 2018, which estimated $9.4 billion industrial complex will be built on the county and the corridors of Cancer Alley. In which, the council has allowed Formosa Plastic Groups, a subsidiary company that has the potentials of building grand scale of plastics facilities in the St. James Parish.
In addition to that Methanex, a Canadian international corporation for producing methanol, also was benefited from tax break allowed from ITEP. It is known that, "The program — one of the most generous of its kind in the nation — exempts major industrial facilities in Louisiana from most property taxes for up to a decade" (Sneath, 2019). Furthermore, Louisiana state government is continuing to retain the tax exemptions provided by ITEP which entices and lets petrochemical firms to swamp over Southern Louisiana.
image created by Joey Oh (via Adobe Photoshop)
The breakthrough to this continuation of revival of petrochemical stations in Louisiana has been best tackled by the nonprofit organization Louisiana Bucket Brigade and their continuation of grassroot activisms. It is significant that there needs more connection of larger groups of experts, educators and legal representatives to take initiative to fight back.
Environmental justice' is defined by the US Environmental Protection Agency as 'the fair treatment and meaning- ful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies' (2005).
Quote from Blodgett 2006 (pg. 648)
References: Blodgett, Abigail D. "An Analysis of Pollution and Community Advocacy in 'Cancer Alley': Setting an Example for the Environmental Justice Movement in St James Parish, Louisiana." Local Environment, vol. 11, no. 6, 2006, pp. 647–661., https://doi.org/10.1080/13549830600853700.
Nagra, Ruhan, et al. "'Waiting to Die': Toxic Emissions and Disease near the Denka Performance Elastomer Neoprene Facility in Louisiana's Cancer Alley." Environmental Justice, vol. 14, no. 1, 2021, pp. 14–32., https://doi.org/10.1089/env.2020.0056.
United Nations. "Environmental Racism in Louisiana's 'Cancer Alley', Must End, Say UN Human Rights Experts | | UN News." United Nations, United Nations, 2 Mar. 2021, https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/03/1086172.
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