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Louisiana has 8 of the worst water-polluting refineries in the country, study says

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Louisiana has 8 of the worst water-polluting refineries in the country, study says


With roaring flares and stacks that billow clouds of smoke and vapor, it’s no secret that oil refineries hurt the air. However the poisonous chemical substances spilling out of refineries as wastewater additionally pose environmental dangers, particularly in Louisiana, the place eight services ranked among the many high oil operations that pollute public waterways, in keeping with a nationwide examine.

In an evaluation of wastewater discharge data from 81 refineries, the Environmental Integrity Challenge discovered south Louisiana refineries discharging among the highest quantities of heavy metals, nitrogen and different pollution into rivers, estuaries and different waterways.

The EIP examine says the U.S. Environmental Safety Company and state regulators are doing little to curb the half billion gallons of wastewater that pours from U.S. refineries every day. Federal requirements enacted many years in the past are not often enforced and have did not maintain tempo with advances in water remedy strategies, the examine stated.

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Oil refineries in america. 

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“The EPA’s failure to behave has uncovered public waterways to a witches’ brew of refinery contaminants,” the examine stated.

The Marathon refinery alongside the Mississippi River in Garyville ranked fourth and the Phillips 66 refinery in Lake Charles ranked seventh for releases of nickel. Marathon’s refinery ranked eighth for selenium discharges, and the Exxon Mobil refinery in Baton Rouge ranked tenth, the EIP examine stated.

Nickel and selenium are poisonous metals that may mutate fish, mangle reproductive methods and journey up the meals chain to different sea life, birds and other people. Additionally they persist within the surroundings for lengthy intervals, probably poisoning an ecosystem for many years, EIP Government Director Eric Schaeffer stated.

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“These heavy metals are extremely poisonous to fish and different critters even in minute portions,” stated Schaeffer, who managed the EPA’s civil enforcement division through the late Nineteen Nineties. “Within the surroundings, they’re actually not possible to take away.”

The Citgo refinery in Lake Charles, Phillips 66 Alliance Refinery close to Belle Chasse, and Chalmette Refinery close to New Orleans ranked eighth, ninth and tenth for releases of nitrogen, a nutrient that feeds algal blooms and is the primary contributor to the Gulf of Mexico’s low-oxygen ‘lifeless zone.’ The three refineries launched a mixed 1.4 million gallons of nitrogen in 2021, in keeping with the examine.

The Alliance Refinery closed in late 2021 and now serves as a storage terminal.







Chalmette Refining

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Chalmette Refining is proven right here on Sunday, Might 3, 2020. The refinery’s benzene emissions measured at its fenceline in 2021 had been in violation of EPA’s official motion ranges. (Photograph by David Grunfeld, NOLA.com, The Occasions-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate)



The Exxon Cell refinery in Baton Rouge and the Shell refinery in Norco ranked sixth and ninth for the discharge of ‘whole dissolved solids,’ a cocktail of byproducts from the refining course of that may increase water salinity, harming fish and tainting public water methods.

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Louisiana made up half of the highest 10 ammonia polluters. The Alliance Refinery ranked first, with greater than 255,000 lbs. launched in 2021. The Valero refinery in Norco, Phillips 66 and Citgo refineries in Lake Charles, and the Chalmette Refinery had been additionally high dischargers of ammonia, which might hurt the interior organs of fish and different animals. In accordance with the EIP, the Valero refinery in Norco has outdated federal permits that enable it to dump practically 2,000 lbs. of ammonia per day into the Mississippi.

Most Louisiana refineries named within the examine didn’t reply to requests for remark or deferred questions to grease business commerce teams. The Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gasoline Affiliation, which represents lots of the refineries, didn’t reply to a request for remark.

In a press release, Exxon Mobil stated its refineries function “in compliance with stringent native, state and federal rules, and are all the time working to enhance environmental efficiency.”

No matter refineries are doing to enhance, it’s clearly not sufficient, stated John Beard, founding father of the Port Arthur Neighborhood Motion Community, a bunch working to scrub Sabine Lake and different waterways alongside the Texas-Louisiana border.

“Individuals say we’d like the roles and the merchandise (refineries) make,” he stated. “That’s true. However we don’t want the air pollution. They will do higher.”

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Flaring at Exxon’s Baton Rouge Refinery is seen alongside Scenic Freeway in Baton Rouge the night of Thursday, December 15, 2022.



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The EIP locations a lot of the blame on the EPA, which it says has the ability to toughen refinery rules and enforcement however chooses to not act.

The U.S. Clear Water Act requires the EPA to set limits on refinery pollution and replace them each 5 years as remedy expertise improves. However the EPA has by no means set limits for a number of widespread refinery pollution, together with selenium, benzene, mercury and cyanide, in keeping with the report. And whereas the instruments for treating these pollution have turn out to be higher and cheaper over time, the EPA nonetheless holds refineries to requirements set practically 40 years in the past.

“No person thinks a rotary telephone is one of the best ways to make a telephone name in 2023,” Schaeffer stated. The identical considering, he stated, must be utilized to the EPA’s Eighties-era water remedy requirements.

Few refineries have adopted new expertise partly as a result of most are very previous, averaging 74 years within the U.S. The Exxon Mobil refinery in Baton Rouge began operations in 1909. The Marathon refinery, at nearly 50 years previous, is one among Louisiana’s youngest.

The report says the EPA has a double normal on the subject of coal-fired energy crops, that are additionally sometimes fairly previous. In 2015, the EPA mandated more durable coal plant discharge limits for selenium, although the common refinery discharges way more selenium than the common coal plant, in keeping with the EIP.

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EPA officers stated they had been conscious of the report however declined to touch upon it.

When refineries exceed their beneficiant discharge limits, the EPA usually fails to behave, in keeping with the examine. Greater than 80% of the the 81 refineries assessed by the EIP exceeded their air pollution limits a minimum of as soon as between 2019 and 2021, however solely 1 / 4 had been penalized, it stated.







Refinery penalties

Graphic by the Environmental Integrity Challenge

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When the EPA does challenge fines, they usually quantity to “chump change” for the billion-dollar industries, Schaeffer stated.

In some circumstances, states have enacted more durable guidelines than the EPA. California, for instance, has restricted ammonia discharges from a Valero refinery in that state to about 1% of the ammonia spilling from the Valero refinery in Norco, in keeping with the examine.

Louisiana not often enacts stricter guidelines than the EPA. The state Division of Environmental High quality sometimes follows the EPAs lead and has in circumstances fallen wanting it. It has recently taken warmth from the federal company over permitting Black folks to endure disproportionate impacts from air air pollution.

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However the examine says the EPA is doing the identical to minority and poor communities. Citing the EPA’s personal information, the examine notes that over half the nation’s refineries are concentrated in areas with excessive percentages of Black or Hispanic residents. Two-thirds of refineries are in areas the place the variety of low-income residents exceeds the nationwide common.

As soon as refinery pollution are in public waterways, they unfold a lot farther than the neighboring communities, probably contaminating the seashores the place many individuals swim and the fish many individuals eat. The report estimates that just about 70% of the refineries examined in 2021 discharged right into a waterway that was listed as “impaired” beneath the Clear Water Act. Which means the water was thought-about unsafe for for fishing, swimming and different leisure actions.

“We’re within the stomach of the beast,” Beard stated of the heavy business alongside the Gulf Coast. “All the things that occurs with petrochemicals is occurring right here.”

“Take into consideration that,” he added, “subsequent time you go fishing or swim within the Gulf of Mexico.”

A controversial chemical plant close to LaPlace is pushing again in opposition to mounting strain from federal regulators to cut back emissions of a probable …

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They had been nearly worn out in Sixties and ‘70s as a result of so many had been harvested for soup

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The federal authorities is establishing an workplace devoted to cleansing up deserted oil and fuel websites, a transfer that Louisiana officers say wil…

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Louisiana

Urban League of Louisiana’s kicks off Listen and Learn Tour in Cenla

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Urban League of Louisiana’s kicks off Listen and Learn Tour in Cenla


ALEXANDRIA, La. (KALB) -The Urban League of Louisiana kicked off its Listen and Learn Tour in Alexandria on Friday, May 17, where they engaged with residents, community leaders, and elected officials from across the region. Established to advocate for fairness in society and the economy, particularly for African Americans, the organization seeks to support those in Louisiana facing economic challenges, striving for legislative changes and seeking to improve society.

During Friday’s meeting, locals voiced their perspectives on pressing issues in Central Louisiana. Urban League leaders emphasized the importance of transparency and open dialogue to address these concerns. Their objective is to foster consensus and collaboration so that they may enact meaningful change for the betterment of the community.

“Part of our commitment is ensuring that when you share an issue with us, you won’t be left waiting,” said Charles Phipps, Director of Policy at the Urban League. “Within a week of our visit, expect to hear back with a summary of what we’ve gathered from you. However, when it comes to policy changes, these processes take time as they navigate legislative cycles. We pledge to keep communication channels transparent, providing updates early and often so you’re informed of our progress. Today, we’re proud to announce that the outcomes we implement will be shared with the community.”

Urban League Officials said they’re committed to doing everything they can to advocate for the community.

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GLOBAL PAYMENTS INVESTIGATION INITIATED BY FORMER LOUISIANA ATTORNEY GENERAL: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC Investigates the Officers and Directors of Global Payments, Inc. – GPN

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GLOBAL PAYMENTS INVESTIGATION INITIATED BY FORMER LOUISIANA ATTORNEY GENERAL: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC Investigates the Officers and Directors of Global Payments, Inc. – GPN


NEW ORLEANS, May 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., Esq., a partner at the law firm of Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC (“KSF”), announces that KSF has commenced an investigation into Global Payments, Inc. (NYSE: GPN).

Global Payments, Inc., is the parent company of Active Network LLC (“Active”), which operates online event registration and payment services for camps and athletic events, providing members with discounts on various consumer products and services, such as wine tastings, sports apparel, and travel.

In October 2022, following widespread complaints that Active’s system caused consumers to mistakenly enroll in a trial membership, which automatically converted to a paid subscription if not cancelled within 30 days charging customers annual fees, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”) sued Active, alleging that its continued operation of the program violated federal law.

Thereafter, the Company and certain of its executives were also sued in a securities class action lawsuit, charging them with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws. Recently, the court presiding over that case denied the Company’s motion to dismiss in part, allowing the case to move forward. 

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KSF’s investigation is focusing on whether Global’s officers and/or directors breached their fiduciary duties to its shareholders or otherwise violated state or federal laws. 

If you have information that would assist KSF in its investigation, or have been a long-term holder of Global shares and would like to discuss your legal rights, you may, without obligation or cost to you, call toll-free at 1-833-938-0905 or email KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn ([email protected]), or visit us at https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-gpn/ to learn more.

About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC

KSF, whose partners include former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is one of the nation’s premier boutique securities litigation law firms. KSF serves a variety of clients – including public institutional investors, hedge funds, money managers and retail investors – in seeking recoveries for investment losses emanating from corporate fraud or malfeasance by publicly traded companies. KSF has offices in New York, Delaware, California, Louisiana and New Jersey.

To learn more about KSF, you may visit ksfcounsel.com.

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Contact:
Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC
Lewis Kahn, Managing Partner
[email protected]
1-877-515-1850
1100 Poydras St., Suite 960
New Orleans, LA 70163

SOURCE Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC



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Does a bill to protect IVF in Louisiana go far enough?

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Does a bill to protect IVF in Louisiana go far enough?


A bill wending its way through the Legislature aims to protect in-vitro fertilization treatments in Louisiana—and prevent the state from going down the same road as Alabama, where a court decision equating frozen embryos to children temporarily halted care.

But even supporters of the legislation worry that, in its current form, the bill does not go far enough and could leave providers who accidentally destroy an embryo vulnerable to criminal prosecution.

This week, state Rep. Paula Davis, R-Baton Rouge, who sponsored House Bill 833, asked the Senate’s Judiciary A Committee to amend the bill so that it would remove language from existing law that describes an in-vitro fertilized human ovum as a “biological human being.” (An earlier version of HB 833 had already tweaked that language, changing “fertilized human ovum” to “embryo.”)

After a debate over whether life begins at fertilization or when an embryo implants in a uterus, that amendment failed to pass.

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Because some Louisiana criminal statutes reference “human beings,” Katie Bliss, an attorney specializing in IVF contracts who helped craft HB 833, worries doctors could be entangled in criminal cases.

“In some of the homicide statutes…instead of a person, they refer to a human being,” she said. “That gives pause.”

Dr. Nicole Ulrich, a New Orleans-based IVF specialist who worked on the bill, said the team behind it is still hoping to strip that language to allow “full protection” for providers.

If the language were removed from the law, embryos would still have “juridical person” rights, a special status given to corporations that allows entities to sue, Bliss told the Senate committee. She added that current statute grants them those rights, and that the language describing embryos as human beings represented an inconsistency in the law.

Legally, once an embryo is implanted in a woman’s uterus, it is considered a natural person, Bliss said, adding that an embryo represented “the potential for life.”

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But Louisiana has one of the most conservative, anti-abortion state governments in the country, and Bliss’ explanation didn’t sit well with Republican senators on the Judiciary A Committee.

This “could be a difficult definition for those of us that hold different positions on what an embryo is,” said Sen. Rick Edmonds, R-Baton Rouge. “Many of us believe an embryo is life.”

Edmonds voted to reject the amendment, along with Sen. Beth Mizell, R-Franklinton, and Sen. Alan Seabaugh, R-Many. It failed along party lines, with Sen. Jay Luneau, D-Pineville, and Sen. Gary Carter, D-New Orleans, voting for it.

The bill then eked its way out of the committee, with Seabaugh and Edmonds attempting to stop it outright. Mizell cast the deciding “yes” vote.

If it passes, IVF providers would operate under updated legal standards. Initially, the bill granted them immunity so long as they were acting “in good faith.” But after Bliss’ research concluded that was not a reliable legal standard, the bill was amended so that IVF clinics would be subject to the typical medical malpractice laws and standards of care that govern other types of providers.

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The debate over IVF in Louisiana comes as the Texas Supreme Court considers a case that could hamper IVF care in that state, as the Texas Tribune has reported.



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