The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on Friday, July 1, that it has detected dangerously high levels of sulfur dioxide (SO2) in the air around Louisiana's St. Bernard Parish.
According to the EPA, St. Bernard is the only parish in the state that currently doesn't meet pollution standards set by the federal government.
The agency had considered declaring DeSoto Parish as non-compliant to the SO2 pollution standards earlier in the year. However, scientists from the state's Environmental Quality Department said the parish's Dolet Hills Power Station was indeed in compliance based on computer modeling of the area.
"This was good news for Louisiana," Vivian Aucoin, a scientist from the Environmental Quality Department, said. "The facilities are doing what they're supposed to."
Aucoin added that they have already set up several air monitors around Louisiana since October, which would continue to monitor pollution in the state. She said that this would help the EPA gather enough information if ever it needs to implement tougher pollution standards in the future.
Facilities in St. Bernard Parish have been given until 2018 to carry out much-needed changes in order to comply with the government's pollution standards.
Sulfur Dioxide Pollution In Louisiana
Despite assurances from the EPA, environmental groups such as the Sierra Club have expressed their disappointment of how the agency handles the issue of sulfur dioxide pollution.
Woody Martin, head of Sierra Club's Delta Chapter, described the agency's reversal as astonishing, adding that it would likely place the health of thousands of people at risk.
Martin said the EPA missed out on the chance to make electric companies, such as American Electric Power and Cleco Power, accountable for the high levels of pollution they have released into the air over communities around Dolet Hills in DeSoto Parish.
He stressed that their organization will continue to do everything they can to prevent sulfur dioxide pollution from spreading.
Health Dangers Of Sulfur Dioxide
The EPA warned that inhaling high amounts of sulfur dioxide can cause serious breathing issues in people, especially those with preexisting asthmatic symptoms.
Studies have shown a potential link between short-term exposure to SO2 and an increase in emergency hospital visits and admissions because of respiratory illnesses. The EPA said this phenomenon is most often seen among elderly people, children and those who already suffer from asthma.
SO2 has also been found to combine with other compounds to form small particles in the atmosphere. These particles are known to penetrate deep areas of the lungs, resulting in the aggravation of respiratory diseases such as bronchitis and emphysema.
Photo: Sean Riley | Flickr
