Coastal Louisiana Communities Face Risks from Chemical Plants

A new analysis by New Orleans Public Radio (WWNO) and Southerly reveals high levels of risk for Louisiana communities located near the state's coastal chemical plants. The facilities, located in the path of annual hurricanes, emit more air pollution when they shut down in preparation for storms. If damaged by high wind or flooding, the plants run the risk of catastrophic pollution events that can expose wide swaths of the local community to toxic chemicals. The study used EPA data to identify the 30 facilities in the state that store the most toxic materials on site and analyzed the worst-case scenario for each. In ten cases, toxic gases could travel as far as 25 miles from the incident.

Information regarding risk management isn't always easy to come by in the post-9/11 era, with the chemical industry citing the potential for terrorist attacks as a reason to keep their plans closely guarded. To view industry risk management plans, residents have to make an appointment, view plans in person, and only take hand-written notes in the presence of a U.S. Marshal. A spokesperson for Shell, which owns four of the thirty plants in the analysis, would not discuss details but wrote in an email to WWNO that safety is a "top priority," adding that their operations follow strict federal, state, and local regulations.

But the secrecy can have an impact on local communities who can't easily assess the risks to their residents and first responders who lack the information to prepare for emergency scenarios. Emma Cheuse, an attorney with Earthjustice, calls the lack of information a "ticking time bomb" for coastal towns. Earthjustice is suing the EPA for rolling back Obama-era regulatory improvements and pushing for increased transparency and access to risk management information that can protect communities and help them prepare for future disasters.