Formosa Plastics

Members of the Krewe of Zulu flung cloth bags from their floats on Mardi Gras in protest of the massive Formosa Plastics complex planned in St. James Parish.

When a judge in Louisiana struck down the air permits that Formosa Plastics needed for its new project in St. James Parish in 2022, it seemed like the long battle to block construction of the largest plastics manufacturing complex in the country was finally over.

A Louisiana district court judge on Wednesday vacated state air permits granted to a Taiwan-based company looking to construct a $9.4 billion plastics complex in St. James Parish, further stalling a controversial project that has faced backlash from some residents and environmental advocates.

A lawsuit looking to overturn a decades-old zoning change in St. John the Baptist Parish and block the construction of a $400 million grain terminal will move forward after a hearing in the 19th Judicial District Court on Thursday morning.

Black residents of Southeast Louisiana, dedicated to fighting air and soil pollution in their own neighborhoods and towns met with EPA Administrator Michael Regan on his “Journey to Justice,” listening tour, sharing their stories and frustrations.

Advocates say the plant would pollute the environment and the air in St. James.

Attorneys from five East Coast states say the Army Corps needs to do more to assess the potential health and environmental impacts of the proposed $9.4 billion plant.

After several delays, New Orleans City Council has voted unanimously in favor of a resolution to oppose the construction of a plastics plant in St. James Parish.