For ACH transactions, a state charge of $2.00 will be added to your invoice in accordance with Louisiana Revised Statute 49:316.1. Director: Elise Cazes, Civil The Denka Performance Elastomer plant in LaPlace, Louisiana, along the Mississippi River, is the only facility in the U.S. that produces chloroprene, a chemical used in the production of neoprene. Louisiana Department of Justice 176 followers 3w Today, Dennis Perkins admitted to his despicable crimes and pled guilty in court. 1999-2023 Grist Magazine, Inc. All rights reserved. licenses and permits previously issued to taxpayers that have failed to meet their tax obligations. 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. Serves as the principal liaison between the Attorney General's Office, the media, and the public. And for the administration to come in and do this, it just validates our efforts.. 1-877-297-0995 constituentservices@ag.louisiana.gov MENU Home About Divisions News Resources Collections Contact Search Protecting Innocence This form needs Javascript to display, which your browser doesn't support. Mary Hampton, another founder of Concerned Citizens of St John Parish, said the lawsuit was the culmination of years of advocacy from community members and represented that finally we have a little hope. The Denka Performance Elastomer Plant in Louisiana. If you have any questions call the DOJ Consolidated Debt Collection System (CDCS) Help Desk at 1-800-683-6567. WASHINGTON Federal officials sued a Louisiana chemical maker on Tuesday, alleging that it presents an unacceptable cancer risk to the nearby majority-Black community and demanding . Please use this form to make your Dept of Justice Civil Debt payments only. If you received one of the letters but havent responded yet, simply complete and return the attached voucher to LDR. In November 2021, EPA Administrator Michael Regan visited people living near the facility during his Journey to Justice tour, a survey of polluted communities across the south. 49:251.1, the Department of Justice has provided training for Louisiana's justices of the peace and constables each year since 1972. Your dealings with us should be as quick and painless as possible. The Civil Division represents the State of Louisiana, its departments and agencies, boards and commissions, and statewide elected officials. Administrative Services Coordinates the departments budget, legislative affairs, and department planning and performance. To support our nonprofit environmental journalism, please consider disabling your ad-blocker to allow ads on Grist. Denkas facility is the only one in the country that makes neoprene, a type of synthetic rubber used for wetsuits and mousepads, a process which releases the carcinogen chloroprene. In August, LDR sent Notice of Unclaimed Property letters to 20,400 individual and business taxpayers. WASHINGTON - Today, on behalf of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and in coordination with the U.S. Attorney's 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 . 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. According to the complaint, filed today in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, air monitoring conducted by both the EPA and Denka over the past several years consistently shows long-term chloroprene concentrations in the air near Denkas LaPlace facility that are as high as 14 times the levels recommended for a 70-year lifetime of exposure. Email: [email protected] Powered by Paystar Terms of Use| Privacy Policy| "The unavoidable closure of our . They know they can comply, Hampton said. Pay.gov requires the use of cookies. Maite Amorebieta is a senior investigative producer with the NBC News Investigative Unit. "EPAs allegation directly contradicts the agencys own prior statements, credible data on health in St. John the Baptist Parish and the best available science on the chemical chloroprene," the statement said. Follow us on This complaint filed against Denka delivers on that promise. 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. On Tuesday, residents and advocates celebrated the news, describing it as justice long overdue. 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. These payments must be made to your U. S. District Court Clerks Office. outreach programs, community resources, and victim-witness services. Justice.gov; News; Denkas chloroprenes emissions reach more than 300 young children who attend the 5th Ward Elementary School, located within approximately 450 feet of Denkas facility. The only newsroom focused on exploring solutions at the intersection of climate and justice. 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 Louisiana's "Cancer Alley" responsible for the highest cancer risk rates caused by air pollution in the . 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Denka said in a statement that it has reduced emissions by about 85% since it took over the plant in 2015. The Department of Justice is seeking to compel a chemical manufacturing plant to curb its emissions in a region where the estimated cancer risk is among the highest in the United States. Official websites use .gov Over the years, Denka has committed to taking steps to reduce the plant's emissions. 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, said LDEQ Secretary Dr. Chuck Carr Brown. Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry Loading. Director: Sonia Mallett, Public Protection The action raises the stakes in a longstanding conflict between the Louisiana plant, nearby residents and the Environmental Protection Agency. 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. 1999-2023 Grist Magazine, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of Use | Privacy Policy. Its complicated. 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. Elizabeth Chuck is a reporter for NBC News who focuses on health and mental health, particularly issues that affect women and children. transactions of this sort, is completed through third part vendors (Official Payments Corp. and Payment Tech, Inc.). Sonia Mallett has spent the majority of the last 25 years serving with the Louisiana Department of Justice. Provides legal services to the statein the areas of consumer protection and environmental law, insurance receivership, and fair housing. Director: Chris Hebert, Louisiana Bureau of Investigation SBA Borrowers: View loan information or make a payment at the new MySBA site. Environmental lawyers and residents of St. John have petitioned state and federal authorities to do more to tamp down Denkas emissions for years. The Louisiana Department of Revenue recently began a cooperative project with all other state agencies that provides for suspension and revocation of WELCOME to the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana. 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. assistance. Denka Performance Elastomers manufactures neoprene at its chemical plant in Reserve, La. Chloroprene is a liquid raw material used to produce neoprene and is emitted into the air from various areas at the facility. JavaScript appears to be disabled on this computer. The EPA knew about the threat Denka posed to residents of Reserve and Laplace as early as 2015. Heres why a California beach town just banned balloons, This is absurd: Train cars that derailed in Ohio were labeled non-hazardous, Why North Dakota is preparing to sue Minnesota over clean energy, Study: Extreme heat is driving deaths in US prisons, In a growing petrochemical hub, the East Palestine derailment triggers an uneasy feeling, One year in, the toxic legacy of war in Ukraine comes into view. As part of our commitment to sustainability, in 2021 Grist moved its office headquarters to the Bullitt Center in Seattles vibrant Capitol Hill neighborhood. For paper returns, the refund processing time is up to 14 weeks. EPA administrator gives update on commitment to curbing pollution in communities of color. Federal officials sued a Louisiana chemical maker on Tuesday, alleging that it presented an unacceptable cancer risk to the nearby majority-Black community and demanding cuts in toxic emissions. On Feb. 28, 2023, the Department of Justice and Environmental Protection Agency filed a lawsuit against the . She also served as Executive Counsel to Louisiana State Employees' Retirement System and practiced law with a Baton Rouge firm. The Louisiana Department of Natural Resources' SONRIS (Strategic Online Natural Resources Information System) tool provides data access (e.g., oil and gas information, coastal information), document access (e.g., Office of Conservation oil/gas production cards and field orders, Office of Mineral Resources lease records), GIS access (e.g . Please click here to see any active alerts. This complaint filed against Denka delivers on that promise, Regan said. 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. are NOT included in the balance due to LDR. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. WELCOMEto the United States Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana. 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. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS Instagram, Follow us on That year, the agency published data indicating that the risk of developing cancer from air pollution in the census tract closest to Denka was nearly 50 times the national average, a result of the plants chloroprene emissions. Your support keeps our unbiased, nonprofit news free. Member Address Seat Information; Landry, Jeffrey M. "Jeff" According to EPA calculations, emissions from the former DuPont plant, now owned by Denka, present a risk that is especially grave for children. Sign up hereinstead Legal Opinions Consumer Information This will have a tremendous impact on our struggle here, said Robert Taylor, a founder of Concerned Citizens of St John Parish. Be the first to find out about the latest legal news, updates, tips, and other information. The office, closed in 2012 due to state budget cuts, will re-open on Monday, Dec. 19, 2022. U.S. District Courts Eastern District of Louisiana Middle District of Louisiana Western District of Louisiana U.S. Bankruptcy Courts Eastern District of Louisiana Middle District of Louisiana Western District of Louisiana State and Local Courts State Judiciary Judiciary - Links to Louisiana Courts Supreme Court Department of Justice ag.louisiana.gov 1885 N. Third St. Baton Rouge, LA 70802 225.326.6079 The treasurer also serves as chairman of the State Bond Commission, which centralizes and administers state debt. "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. The lawyers and staff in our office work hard every day to defend our national security, improve the safety and quality of life in . LaPlace is in the majority-Black St. John the Baptist Parish,about 30 miles outside of New Orleans. IE 11 is not supported. The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services works to keep children safe, helps individuals and families become self-sufficient and operates shelters during disasters. Custom payment integrations and software development. Director: Angelique Freel, Criminal Twitter, Follow us on Eastern District of Louisiana The agency is now under a court order to get it done. document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); The Biden administration sued a chemical company operating in southeast Louisiana on Tuesday, compelling it to face up to the cancer risk generated by its toxic emissions, a move that activists have been demanding for years. Any refund not claimed by the deadline remains the property of the taxpayer, and can be retrieved from the Unclaimed Property Division. So far, approximately 4,000 have responded to claim their refunds. An official website of the United States government. Disaster Fraud Hotline: Report fraud related to natural and man-made disasters, Felon Sentenced to 65 Months for Federal Gun Charge, Florida Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession With Intent to Distribute a Quantity of Methamphetamine, Dr. Charles J. Southall, III Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison for Money Laundering, Obtaining Over $889,000 Through Fraud, New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy, Carjacking, and Weapons Violations, Honduran National Indicted for Illegal Re-Entry. 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. 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. Curbing pollution in communities of color of the letters but havent responded yet, simply complete and return the voucher. Issued to taxpayers that have failed to meet their tax obligations Monday, Dec. 19, 2022, boards commissions. Unbiased, nonprofit news free be made to your U. S. 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