Louisiana is late to submit plans to reduce air pollution
Author: Halle Parker
Louisiana is one of 39 states that have yet to submit an updated plan for tackling air pollution responsible for hazy skies in the country’s wildest spaces, according to a new filling by environmental nonprofit Sierra Club. The national advocacy group announced its intent to sue the Environmental Protection Agency after the federal agency had failed to act on states who haven’t complied with sending the Regional Haze Plans required by the Clean Air Act. Louisiana’s plan focuses on improving air quality around the Breton National Wildlife Refuge, comprising a series of barrier islands in southeast Louisiana off of St. Bernard Parish’s coast. Facilities used for power generation, such as Entergy Louisiana’s Ninemile Point Electric Generating Plant or Cleco’s Big Cajun II Power Plant - one of the state’s few remaining coal-fired plants - are among the top emitters causing visibility issues along with several refineries.