The Denka plant in St. John Parish has received a two-year extension from the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality to meet the EPA’s order to reduce emissions that residents in the area claim is causing higher cancer rates. Denka says EPA’s 90-day compliance period is unworkable and it will result in the chemical plant closing. DEQ Secretary Aurelia Giacometto agrees…
“It is impossible to retrofit Denka and implement those reduction emission in 90 days,” DEQ Secretary Aurelia Giacometo said.
The EPA filed a complaint against Denka, citing the plant’s emissions as a substantial public health risk, particularly due to the increased cancer risk.
“So effectively EPA’s rule is a stop order for this company. And if that happens…that means business and our products go to China,” Giacometto said.
While activists view the EPA’s strict deadlines as a victory for public health, Denka has criticized the new regulations as politically motivated and based on flawed science, warning of economic repercussions if the plant is forced to shut down.
“That two year extension was granted and that will give Denka and its employees the courts time to make that decision while Denka continues to operate, reducing its omissions and monitoring,” Giacometto said
The extension from the DEQ will provide Denka additional time to comply with the new standards without an immediate shut down operations.
Robert Taylor the Executive Director of Concerned Citizens of St. John the Baptist Parish, says Louisiana’s D-E-Q would rather believe Denka’s science over the E-P-A’s and expose the area to toxic emissions.
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