The Trump administration is reportedly planning to drop a federal lawsuit against Denka Performance Elastomer, a synthetic rubber manufacturer in Louisiana accused of heightening cancer risks for residents in a predominantly Black community near its plant. This move would reverse one of President Biden’s key environmental justice initiatives aimed at addressing the impacts of industrial pollution on disproportionately affected areas. The lawsuit, filed by the EPA in early 2023, alleged that the Denka plant posed an unacceptable cancer risk due to its emissions of chloroprene, a cancer-causing chemical.

Denka, a Japanese company that acquired the plant a decade ago, has faced legal challenges and investigations over its environmental impact. The Department of Justice sued Denka for emitting high levels of chloroprene, particularly harmful to children. The Trump administration’s decision to drop the lawsuit is seen as prioritizing corporate interests over public health concerns, according to David Uhlmann, a former EPA official.

The Denka plant is situated near an elementary school in a community outside New Orleans and produces neoprene, a synthetic rubber used in various products. Despite the EPA’s efforts to enforce emission reduction rules, Denka argued that it was unfairly targeted and had made significant emission reductions since 2015. The environmental advocacy group Earthjustice criticized the dismissal of the case as part of a broader trend of neglecting communities affected by air pollution and promoting industrial growth without adequate safeguards.

The Louisiana region where the Denka plant is located, known as Cancer Alley, has a high cancer rate linked to its numerous petrochemical facilities. The decision to drop the lawsuit has sparked criticism from local residents and environmental advocates, who view it as a setback in the fight against harmful emissions in the area.