JANS – On Tuesday, Oct. 14, Gloster, MS residents and their environmental justice allies across the South held a rally at the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) to urge officials to uphold its historic decision earlier this year to deny Drax’s request to increase pollution at its wood-pellet production facility in Amite County. The rally was held prior to a hearing on the matter.
Drax’s Amite County facility turns logs into wood pellets that are then shipped overseas to be burned for electricity. In the process, the facility releases Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs), which are linked to cancer and other major health problems, and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), which can cause damage to the kidneys, liver, and central nervous system. Since the facility began operating in 2016, Gloster residents have reported higher levels of cancer, mortality rates, headaches, nose bleeds, and other major health issues.
Earthjustice Attorney Allison Brouk represents Gloster in this case. Gloster is a predominantly low-income, Black community of fewer than 1,000 people. In contrast, Drax is a major UK-based energy company that receives over $1 billion in state and international subsidies and tax incentives every year. According to Land & Climate Review, the company has violated U.S. environmental rules more than 11,000 times. It has paid nearly $3M in fines for its violations in Gloster…