An official website of the United States government. Walmart, Target, Home Depot lead pack of retailers emitting millions of pounds of CO2 through shipping, Georgians plead with state officials to protect the Okefenokee from mining. YouTube. Suing on behalf of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the justice department is now seeking a federal court order to compel Denka (DPE), the Japanese chemical giant operating the facility, to immediately take all necessary measures to curb emissions of the compound chloroprene, labeled by the EPA as a likely human carcinogen. Provides legal representation to the State, its agencies, and its employees in all tort claims seeking damages and defends claims managed by the ORM or any post-secondary education institution granted an exemption from the States risk management program. But the estimated pollution-related cancer risk in the area is still one of the highest in the country, according to the EPA. This is a secure service provided by United States Department of the Treasury. The US justice department has sued the two petrochemical giants behind a facility in Louisiana's "Cancer Alley" responsible for the highest cancer risk rates caused by air pollution in the . AG Jeff Landry: Be cautious of where you place your bets to ensure you protect your information, receive fair odds, and get paid when you win. Terms of Use | Privacy Policy. These payments must be made to your U. S. District Court Clerks Office. Director: Elise Cazes, Civil 1999-2023 Grist Magazine, Inc. All rights reserved. In the event that your payment takes over 6 days to post to your LDR account, please feel free to call our taxpayer services department for additional Now, the DOJ has filed a complaint to compel Denka to further reduce its hazardous emissions. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS Today, on behalf of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and in coordination with the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a complaint under Section 303 of the Clean Air Act against Denka Performance Elastomer LLC (Denka) to compel Denka to significantly reduce hazardous chloroprene emissions from its neoprene manufacturing facility in LaPlace, Louisiana. Over the six years we have been fighting this fight we havent had anything as great as this to happen in terms of getting concrete action on emissions., Speaking to the Guardian, Taylor added: The state government has totally ignored us marches on the capitol, rallying they wouldnt even give us an audience. Official websites use .gov Pursuant to LA R.S. Its litigation reflects the diversity of government activities, involving, for example, the defense of challenges to state programs, actions and laws; debt collection owed to the state; and protection of the states natural resources, lands and water bottoms. 0:10. The lawsuit also names a subsidiary of the US chemicals giant DuPont, which constructed the Pontchartrain Works facility as a neoprene plant and operated it for over half a century. . Please click here to see any active alerts. EPA is finally treating this health crisis for what it isan emergency. What remains to be seen, she told Grist in an email, is how much and how fast it will be enforced. The lawsuit contains further details of the plants recent chloroprene emissions, which fell after Denka constructed emissions offset technology after its purchase of the plant, but still remains dangerously high and in some locations 14 times over the recommended exposure limit. The only newsroom focused on exploring solutions at the intersection of climate and justice. 650 Poydras Street, Suite 1600 The EPA's Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights in part blames state agencies; In an October letter, it wrote that the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality and the Louisiana Department of Health's failure to pursue stronger action against Denka disproportionately exposed Black residents to harmful air pollutants. Official websites use .gov PayStar Payment Portal PayStar Payment Portal 95 Louisiana Attorney General Louisiana Attorney General Educational Other Debt Revenue State Agency Cancel P.O. Because we remain committed to customer service, the Louisiana Department of Revenue is pleased to accept your tax payments via credit card. Grist is powered by WordPress VIP. Director: Angelique Freel, Criminal BATON ROUGE Thousands of Louisiana taxpayers have until Thursday, Oct. 6 to claim millions of dollars in state income tax refunds before the Louisiana Department of Revenue (LDR) transfers them to the states Unclaimed Property fund. An official website of the United States government. The revelations were part of a years-long Guardian series examining air pollution in Reserve and throughout Cancer Alley. The lawyers and staff in our office work hard every day to defend our national security, improve the safety and quality of life in all our communities through enforcement of federal laws, and protect the public funds of the United States. Denka Performance Elastomer LLC makes synthetic rubber, emitting the carcinogen chloroprene, in such high . 0:00 / 3:50. U.S. Government information systems are provided for the processing of official U.S. Government information only. In its statement, Denka said it strongly disagrees with the federal government's decision to file a legal complaint and with the EPA's assessment of the health risks the plant's emissions pose to the surrounding community. Your support keeps our unbiased, nonprofit news free. The Denka plant in LaPlace, Louisiana, is along a stretch of the Mississippi River that activists and residents have nicknamed Cancer Alley.. According to EPA calculations in the suit, current chloroprene emissions present a risk that is especially grave for infants and children under the age of 16. to LDR on weekends or holidays, your payment will be processed on the following business day. The justice department complaint does not directly specify that Denka should reduce its emissions to the 0.2 micrograms lifetime exposure recommendation, but cites the guidance throughout the complaint. The suit claims that emissions remain so high that a child breathing air near certain monitors around the facilitys fence line would exceed their lifetime excess cancer risk within two years. Any refund not claimed by the deadline remains the property of the taxpayer, and can be retrieved from the Unclaimed Property Division. Official websites use .gov The Monroe Regional Office will be open for walk-in customer service Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., no appointments needed. This action is not the first step we have taken to reduce risks to the people living in Saint John the Baptist Parish, and it will not be the last., We allege that Denkas emissions have led to unsafe concentrations of carcinogenic chloroprene near homes and schools in St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana, said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. They know they can comply, Hampton said. System personnel may give to law enforcement officials any potential evidence of crime found on U.S. Government information systems. method of making certain that your payments are received and posted correctly and on-time. Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry Loading. Louisiana File Online allows taxpayers to: Taxpayers may also submit their returns using commercially available tax preparation software, or with printed state returns available at www.revenue.louisiana.gov/Forms. The Civil Division represents the State of Louisiana, its departments and agencies, boards and commissions, and statewide elected officials. Pay.gov is a program of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Bureau of the Fiscal Service. Sonia Mallett has spent the majority of the last 25 years serving with the Louisiana Department of Justice. We noticed your internet browser is not supported. ART4: 8 &13 R.S. The air samples were taken at or across the street from a nearby elementary school. DO NOT USE THIS FORM FOR CRIMINAL PAYMENTS. Twitter, Follow us on The complaint asserts that the LaPlace plants operations present an imminent and substantial endangerment to public health and welfare due to the cancer risks from Denkas chloroprene emissions. Box 94005 Baton Rouge, LA 70804 (800) 423-2129 Terms of Use / Privacy Policy Powered By (888) 617-1811 | help@paystar.co Its been a long time coming. USE OF THIS SYSTEM BY ANY USER, AUTHORIZED OR UNAUTHORIZED, CONSTITUTES YOUR UNDERSTANDING AND CONSENT TO THIS MONITORING, INTERCEPTION, RECORDING, READING, COPYING, OR CAPTURING AND DISCLOSURE. 49:251.1, the Department of Justice has provided training for Louisiana's justices of the peace and constables each year since 1972. Chief Deputy Attorney General: Bill Stiles, Communications The agency is now under a court order to get it done. Jan. 27, 202206:15. Next Cancel P.O. transactions of this sort, is completed through third part vendors (Official Payments Corp. and Payment Tech, Inc.). Denka Performance Elastomers manufactures neoprene at its chemical plant in Reserve, La. This will have a tremendous impact on our struggle here, said Robert Taylor, a founder of Concerned Citizens of St John Parish. In such cases, please allow additional time, up to 6 days, for processing. THERE IS NO RIGHT TO PRIVACY IN THIS SYSTEM. DuPont is a necessary party to ensure there are no delays in any actions that Denka is ordered to take to reduce its chloroprene emissions as a result of the rights DuPont holds under its lease agreement with Denka. ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Eastern District of Louisiana YouTube, Follow us on WELCOMEto the United States Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana. These payments must be made to your U. S. District Court Clerks Office. Be the first to find out about the latest legal news, updates, tips, and other information. Separately, the two groups sued the EPA for missing a deadline to update its regulations for neoprene manufacturing plants. All data contained on U.S. Government information systems is owned by the U.S. Government and may, for the purpose of protecting the rights and property of the U.S. Government, be monitored, intercepted, recorded, read, searched, copied, or captured in any manner and disclosed or used for any lawful government purpose at any time. Taxpayers can minimize delays in receiving their refunds by updating their contact information with LDR. Here's How, When I visited Saint John the Baptist Parish during my first Journey to Justice tour, I pledged to the community that EPA would take strong action to protect the health and safety of families from harmful chloroprene pollution from the Denka facility, Regan said. The company has not moved far enough or fast enough to reduce emissions or ensure the safety of the surrounding community. highest cancer risk rates caused by air pollution in the US, Pontchartrain Works facility in Reserve, Louisiana, enforcement action in the Cancer Alley region, during a site visit to Reserve in November 2021, were part of a years-long Guardian series. The facility is the only site in the US to emit the compound, which is a primary constituent of the synthetic rubber neoprene. For Credit Card transactions, a state charge of the greater of $2.00 or 2.5% of the total transaction will be added to your invoice in accordance with Louisiana Revised Statute 49:316.1 WASHINGTON Today, on behalf of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and in coordination with the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a complaint under Section 303 of the Clean Air Act against Denka Performance Elastomer LLC (Denka) to compel Denka to significantly reduce hazardous chloroprene emissions from its neoprene manufacturing facility in LaPlace, Louisiana. Facebook, Follow us on Elizabeth Chuck is a reporter for NBC News who focuses on health and mental health, particularly issues that affect women and children. An official website of the United States government. Instagram, Follow us on State of Louisiana Department of Justice c/o Constituent Services P. O. This complaint filed against Denka delivers on that promise.. license and permit liens (for example, driver, fishing and hunting licenses, etc.) Chloroprene is a liquid raw material used to produce neoprene and is emitted into the air from various areas at the facility. The complaint, first reported by NBC News, was filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court for Eastern Louisiana on behalf of the EPA under the Clean Air Act. Payment Processing for utilities, government, businesses. Taxpayers using credits cards to pay outstanding balances due the Louisiana Department of Revenue (LDR) must plan for additional transaction time if DuPont sold the plant to Denka in 2015 in a secretive deal, which the Guardian later revealed was motivated by concerns from DuPont that it would face heavier regulation after the EPAs decision to classify chloroprene as a likely human carcinogen. Its litigation reflects the diversity of government activities, involving, for example, the defense of challenges to state programs, actions and laws; debt collection owed to the state; and protection of the state's natural resources, lands and water . When I visited Saint John the Baptist Parish during my first Journey to Justice tour, I pledged to the community that EPA would take strong action to protect the health and safety of families from harmful chloroprene pollution from the Denka facility,, We allege that Denkas emissions have led to unsafe concentrations of carcinogenic chloroprene near homes and schools in St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana,, Emissions reductions at Denka has been one of our top priorities at LDEQ, and EPAis nowbuilding on the steps LDEQ took five years ago and our continuing efforts to reduce chloroprene emissions from the Denka facility,, Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA). Member Address Seat Information; Landry, Jeffrey M. "Jeff" Should you choose this option, you can expect Once taxpayer obligations are A statement issued by Denka on Tuesday said the company strongly disagrees with the legal action and urged the EPA to re-evaluate its findings on chloroprene exposure. The parish sits along the Mississippi River just north of New Orleans in the states main industrial corridor, a region commonly known as Cancer Alley., This brings us hope, said Mary Hampton, president of the local advocacy group Concerned Citizens of St. John, which was founded in 2016. This complaint filed against Denka delivers on that promise. You must be signed in to submit this form. For those folks who prefer to take advantage of current technology, this is a quick, convenient, and secure payment processing to be completed within 3 or 4 business days of the transaction. Director: Millard Mul, Gaming But on-site inspections by the EPA in April and May 2022 found that Denkawas not meeting regulatory requirements for the storage and disposal of chloroprene waste, which contributes to emissions of chloroprene from the plant. Note: This system may contain Sensitive But Unclassified (SBU) data that requires specific data privacy handling. Louisianas Department of Environmental Quality reached an agreement with Denka requiring the company to install pollution controls in 2017. Email: ConstituentServices@ag.louisiana.gov. The EPA said it found during an investigation that state agencies had failed to provide residents with information about the cancer risks associated with chloroprene levels in the area, among other problems. SBA Borrowers: View loan information or make a payment at the new MySBA site. Services include: The office is located in the Northeast Louisiana State Office Building at 24 Accent Drive, Suite B500, Monroe, LA 71203. Department of Justice ag.louisiana.gov 1885 N. Third St. Baton Rouge, LA 70802 225.326.6079 For more information about the Civil Rights Division and the Special Litigation Section, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/crt/special-litigation-section. The US justice department has sued the two petrochemical giants behind a facility in Louisianas Cancer Alley responsible for the highest cancer risk rates caused by air pollution in the US in a major federal lawsuit that seeks to substantially curb the plants emissions. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. The date coincides with the date the IRS begins accepting federal income tax returns. The plant is one of many that activists argue puts undue health risks on Black communities in the area. EPA administrator Michael Regan said in a statement that he had promised strong action for community members during a site visit to Reserve in November 2021. The office, closed in 2012 due to state budget cuts, will re-open on Monday, Dec. 19, 2022. "The company has not moved far enough or fast enough to reduce emissions or ensure the safety of the surrounding community," said Regan, who has been vocal about his commitment to environmental justice. assistance. Your support keeps our unbiased, nonprofit news free. DuPont did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Director: Chris Hebert, Louisiana Bureau of Investigation Secure .gov websites use HTTPS 2021 Recap Video. New Orleans, Louisiana 70130. On Jan. 23, taxpayers can begin filing their state income tax returns electronically through Louisiana File Online, the states free web portal for individual tax filers. BATON ROUGE The Louisiana Department of Revenue will begin accepting 2022 state individual income tax returns on Monday, Jan. 23, 2023. Provides legal representation to the state, its departments and agencies, boards and commissions, and statewide elected officials. are NOT included in the balance due to LDR. Over the years, Denka has committed to taking steps to reduce the plant's emissions. Administrative Services Coordinates the departments budget, legislative affairs, and department planning and performance. The Louisiana Department of Revenue recently began a cooperative project with all other state agencies that provides for suspension and revocation of Accepted Payment Methods: Bank account (ACH) Debit card Continue to the Form Preview Form Cancel Denka's facility is along a stretch of the Mississippi River that activists and residents have nicknamed "Cancer Alley" because of the unusually high cancer risk among communities there and the emissions that come from the numerous plants in the area. A tremendous impact on our struggle here, said Robert Taylor, a founder of Concerned of! 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