Currently, LDEQ appears limited in its capacities to advance justice and good governance. A 2022 study conducted by Tulane University’s Kimberly Terrell and Gianna St. Julien “found that from 2019 to 2021, LDEQ permitted industrial emissions of pollution that were 7 to 21 times higher among Black communities than in predominantly white ones” (Rose 2024). The same year, local environmental justice groups filed complaints with the EPA declaring that the LDEQ was complicit in racial discrimination under the Civil Rights Act. The EPA opened a civil rights investigation to examine permitting practices in Louisiana and began developing an agreement with LDEQ mandating investigations into current exposure to air pollutants alongside social and health vulnerability indicators. However, in June 2023, former State Attorney General and current governor Jeff Landry opened a lawsuit against the EPA, arguing that any civil rights investigation required evidence of intended discrimination before it could be allowed to proceed. In the lawsuit, “discrimination” was framed in a way that reduced racism to individual bias and behavior, thereby obfuscating the structural and systemic arrangements of racial differentiation and discrimination that have persisted over time. Following Landry’s lawsuit, the EPA investigation closed before releasing any findings or finalizing the agreement with LDEQ. This chain of events has important implications for environmental justice cases across the United States and could produce a “chilling effect”—e.i. curbing the EPA’s ability to conduct Civil Rights Act investigations in other states (Nolan 2024).
Nolan, Delaney. 2024. “The EPA Is Backing Down From Environmental Justice Cases Nationwide.” The Intercept. January 20, 2024. https://theintercept.com/2024/01/19/epa-environmental-justice-lawsuits/.
“DEQ and other state agencies have largely reduced the process to a checklist sloughed onto permit applicants, who, like Research Associates, Inc., are hardly objective about the impacts of their own proposals.” (Houck 441)
Houck, O. A. (2012). "Save ourselves: the environmental case that changed louisiana." Louisiana Law Review, 72(2), 409-442.
“DEQ does not issue enforcement actions in a timely manner to permitted facilities that violate air permit requirements. From fiscal years 2015 through 2019, the time it took DEQ to issue enforcement actions increased by 102.1%, from an average of 289 days to an average of 585 days. As a result, there is a risk that facilities may have violations that remain uncorrected for years.” (Louisiana Legislative Auditor 2021, 11)
“We also found that DEQ does not always address violations until years after the violation occurred, which further delays enforcement. “ (Louisiana Legislative Auditor 2021, 13)
"DEQ does not effectively track the penalties it has assessed and whether facilities have paid their penalties.” (Louisiana Legislative Auditor 2021, 14)
Louisiana Legislative Auditor. 2021. “Monitoring and Enforcement of Air Quality. Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality.” https://app2.lla.state.la.us/publicreports.nsf/0/bbc259a7e7a73cfa8625713b002c8e7b/$file/00001572.pdf?openelement&.7773098.
Nuestra Casa San Mateo County's work advances justice and good governance by promoting affordable housing, immigrant rights, and social and economic justice. By providing resources and support to low-income and immigrant communities in San Mateo County, the organization seeks to address systemic inequalities and empower marginalized communities. Through its advocacy efforts, Nuestra Casa San Mateo County also aims to influence public policy and decision-making to create a more just and equitable society.
The work by the Orange County Environmental Justice (OCEJ) organization can potentially advance justice and good governance by addressing environmental injustices in Orange County. By educating and empowering communities, OCEJ can increase awareness of the impacts of environmental issues such as air pollution, water contamination, and climate change, leading to more informed and engaged citizens. OCEJ's advocacy efforts can also help hold local government and industry accountable for addressing environmental injustices and promoting more sustainable practices
The CCV advances justice and good governance by advocating for and promoting environmental justice, health equity, and civic engagement in disadvantaged communities. The organization works diligently to empower community members through education and training curricula like, the Promotoras and the Environmental Health Leadership Summit to inform and educate active participants in decision-making processes affecting their lives. By partnering with researchers from universities and government agencies, the CCV also conducts research to identify and further support evidence that environmental health disparities disproportionately impact low-income and minority communities.
The CCAEJ addresses environmental injustices and promotes sustainability within the Inland Empire community. AAdvocating for these policies that promote environmental justice engages polluters to be held accountable for their presence. The organization can achieve a more just and equitable society beyond heavy industry. The CCAEJ work to empower residents to have a voice in the decisions that directly affect their health, well-being, and homes, promoting democratic participation and good governance.
The EHC is generally perceived as a respected and influential organization, internally and externally. Within the organization and its community, there is a strong sense of shared purpose and commitment to advancing environmental justice and healthy communities. The EHC staff and volunteers are deeply committed to the organization's mission and are viewed as knowledgeable and passionate advocates for environmental health and justice. The
The EHC is considered a credible organization with a reputation for effective research and advocacy work to promote environmental justice. The EHC is consulted by policymakers and stakeholders for environmental health and justice issues and is regarded as a valuable source of information and expertise.
By working closely with the communities it seeks to support, PODER advances justice and good governance by emphasizing the voices of stakeholders in the affected neighborhoods. Doing so is challenging the systemic inequalities and promoting environmental and social sustainability; these practices are significant because they would benefit all communities regardless of race, ethnicity, or income level.
APEN is centralized around addressing the issues faced within the Asian American Pacific Islander working class, immigrant, and refugee communities within California. The organization seeks to empower these communities to participate in critical conversations that dictate their neighborhoods’ future, health, wellness, and prosperity. In the broader sense, APEN’s work contributes to the whole movement that seeks to amplify a message that all people should have the human right to an environmentally just world.
CBE’s mission focuses on the belief that everyone has the right to live in a healthy environment, free from the harmful effects of pollution and other environmental hazards. They also believe mobilizing community engagement leads to their empowerment and includes them in critical policy and decision-making conversations. Finally, by holding polluters accountable and promoting environmental regulatory laws, the CBE can ensure that polluters abide by necessary restrictions.
This organization is based upon supporting grassroots movements with the necessary legal to represent and support local activists effectively. CRPE also consciously makes an effort to represent historically underrepresented and marginalized communities.