"EPA's Proposed Regulations Aim to Reduce Cancer-Causing Emissions from Coke Plants"

The wealthy family of West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice is seeking to reopen a coal-burning industrial plant in Birmingham, Alabama, despite mounting debts and proposed regulations. The plant, previously owned by the family's company, emitted cancer-causing chemicals that harmed historically Black neighborhoods. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed new regulations requiring coke plants to install monitors to detect high levels of benzene, a cancer-causing air pollutant. The proposed changes aim to reduce pollution in Black communities. The Justice family's plans to reopen the plant are further complicated by millions of dollars in unpaid debts and penalties. The EPA will accept public comments on the proposed regulations until October 2, 2022.