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Gas facility in Louisiana builds massive sea wall to protect against climate threats
A Louisiana gas facility has constructed a massive sea wall to shield itself from the climate impacts that fossil fuel emissions have exacerbated, raising questions about the lengths the industry will go to safeguard its interests.
In short:
- The $21 billion Plaquemines LNG plant, built by Venture Global, features a 26-foot-high steel sea wall to protect against rising sea levels and hurricanes.
- Environmental scientists argue that building such facilities in low-lying areas increases risks of flooding and pollution, particularly affecting nearby disadvantaged communities.
- Despite the potential dangers, the construction of LNG export terminals along the Gulf Coast is accelerating due to high global demand and significant profits.
Key quote:
"It highlights the irony that they’re having to armor these facilities at considerable expense to guard against extreme weather that is their own doing."
— Bradley Campbell, president of the Conservation Law Foundation
Why this matters:
This protective measure, while pragmatic from a business standpoint, underscores a glaring irony: the industry contributing to climate change is investing heavily in defenses against its impacts, rather than addressing the root causes. For local communities and environmental advocates, the sea wall is a powerful symbol of misplaced priorities, highlighting a need for greater investment in sustainable practices and renewable energy sources.
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Philadelphia resident battles lasting environmental trauma from living near a refinery
Sonya Sanders, a Philadelphia resident, grapples with the lasting psychological impact of living near the PES Refinery, a site marked by pollution and health hazards.
In short:
- Sonya Sanders, a resident of South Philadelphia, faces ongoing psychological effects from living next to the PES Refinery, a site of significant pollution.
- Her experiences reflect a broader issue of eco-anxiety and environmental trauma, particularly in communities near industrial hazards.
- Despite moving away and becoming an environmental activist, Sanders continues to struggle with PTSD, a condition increasingly recognized as linked to environmental crises.
Key quote:
"I feel everything closing in. Panic attacks. I feel like my heart races and like I’m having a heart attack but I’m not."
— Sonya Sanders, describing her symptoms of PTSD.
Why this matters:
Sanders' story highlights the often-overlooked mental health impacts of environmental pollution, particularly in marginalized communities. It underscores the need for greater attention to the psychological toll of living in close proximity to industrial hazards and the importance of providing mental health support to those affected by environmental trauma.
Be sure to read: Air pollution can alter our brains in ways that increase mental illness risk
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Credit: ADIGUN AMPA/Unsplash
El Paso challenges oil refinery permit
In El Paso, Texas, residents are challenging Marathon Petroleum's permit renewal for its local refinery, raising concerns about soil contamination and air quality.
In short:
- Residents of El Paso, led by neighborhood association president Fred Borrego, are questioning the environmental impact of Marathon Petroleum's 97-year-old refinery.
- El Paso County commissioners voted to seek a contested case hearing with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality over the refinery's permit renewal.
- The refinery, located in a predominantly Hispanic and low-income neighborhood, is under scrutiny for its emissions, including benzene and hydrogen sulfide, which have been linked to health issues.
Key quote:
“We’d like to see what’s in our soil in our neighborhoods where we grew up. We’re worried about the effects of 90 years of the refinery being there.”
— Fred Borrego, president of the San Juan Neighborhood Association
Visit EHN's energy section for more top news about energy, climate and health.
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New lawsuit against EPA cites Suncor's toxic pollution releases
The Suncor Refinery keeps reporting accidental toxic air releases into the air above its Commerce City neighborhood, and a watchdog group focused on air pollution cites the most recent incidents in pursuing a new lawsuit against the EPA for greenlighting Suncor operations.
Newsletter
In case you missed it: Louisiana rushes buildout of carbon pipelines in Cancer Alley
As the Biden administration funds carbon sequestration projects, residents worry about ruptured pipelines and mass asphyxiation from leaks.
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Oil lobby pressure dooms bill aimed at curbing California refinery pollution
The Mercury News reporter Will McCarthy writes about a stalled California State Senate bill that would have tripled the fines paid by refineries for emitting toxic pollutants.
In a nutshell:
The bill, AB 1465, sponsored by Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland), was postponed until 2024 at the request of Wicks herself. The delay was prompted by the need for additional time to negotiate with various stakeholders, including the Bay Area Air Quality Management District and opposition groups, particularly the Western States Petroleum Association. McCarthy notes that the lobbying group has spent millions trying to influence policy decisions in recent years.The bill's fate remains uncertain, but it may resurface in the next legislative session.
Key quote:
“Once again, it’s business as usual — refineries will continue to pollute at a discount rate,” said Heidi Taylor, a member of Healthy Martinez, a local activist group that formed in the wake of a toxic release from a nearby refinery on Thanksgiving Day in 2022. “It’s disgusting. We shouldn’t have to wait for clean air and water.”
The big picture:
On the health front, exposure to toxic emissions from refineries can lead to respiratory problems, including asthma and lung irritation, as well as increased risks of cancer and other serious illnesses. Moreover, communities near refineries often bear the brunt of these health impacts.
From an environmental perspective, refinery pollution contributes to air and water contamination. Harmful chemicals released into the atmosphere can harm ecosystems, damage vegetation and contribute to the formation of smog and ozone pollution. Water pollution can occur through leaks, spills or runoff, affecting aquatic life and water quality. Altogether, refinery pollution underscores the importance of stringent regulations and monitoring to safeguard public health and the environment.
Read the article at The Mercury News.
Low-income residents in North Richmond, Calif., like similar communities around the country, pay the price in health living next to oil industry facilities, wrote Jane Kay and Cheryl Katz in 2012 for EHN's award-winning special report Pollution, Poverty and People of Color. Has much changed since then?
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Photo by Robin Sommer on Unsplash
Pa. Health Department to reveal results of child health studies in gas lands
On Tuesday evening, the Pennsylvania Department of Health plans to reveal the results of several highly-anticipated health studies that probe a possible link between oil and gas development and children’s cancer, asthma and poor birth outcomes in southwestern Pennsylvania.
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