GlitchGoblin
Well-known member
Residents of Mississippi town sue UK-owned biomass firm over permit for increased emissions
A group of residents from Gloster, Mississippi, have filed a lawsuit against Drax Biomass, the UK-based energy company behind a major wood pellet production plant. The permit granted to the facility by the state's environmental quality department last week has raised concerns among local communities who claim that the plant is releasing excessive levels of pollutants into the air.
Drax's Amite County facility, which processes trees sourced from southern US states, converts them into biomass pellets that are burned as fuel in Drax's large power station in Selby, North Yorkshire. The UK government has agreed to provide more than £10 billion in renewable energy subsidies to Drax between 2012 and 2027, despite criticism from green groups and climate scientists who claim that the wood used by the company is not sustainably sourced.
Local residents have reported experiencing adverse health effects since the facility opened a decade ago, including dizziness, headaches, and respiratory problems. They fear that the increased emissions could exacerbate existing health issues such as cancer and heart disease linked to air pollution.
"It's like they're poisoning us," said Jimmy Brown, who lives less than a mile from the plant. "You got dust falling all night, constant noise, odor, truck traffic... it's nonstop."
The permit decision came despite previous standards violations by the site, which resulted in fines of $250,000 and $2.5 million for releasing excessive pollutants.
A Drax spokesperson said the company was pleased that its concerns had been taken into account but declined to comment on ongoing legal matters. The lawsuit, filed by an attorney at Singleton Schreiber, alleges that the facility has unlawfully exposed residents to toxic chemicals and pollutants, which have coated their homes and put them at greater risk of diseases.
Environmental groups in Mississippi have expressed concern over the impact of Drax's operations on Gloster's residents, who are predominantly Black and low-income. In a letter to the state governor and environmental quality department, 85 advocacy organizations urged steps to ensure that the community can breathe clean air.
"The situation in Gloster is one of crisis," they wrote. "Those who can afford to leave are doing so, while those who remain are left to suffer worsening health."
A group of residents from Gloster, Mississippi, have filed a lawsuit against Drax Biomass, the UK-based energy company behind a major wood pellet production plant. The permit granted to the facility by the state's environmental quality department last week has raised concerns among local communities who claim that the plant is releasing excessive levels of pollutants into the air.
Drax's Amite County facility, which processes trees sourced from southern US states, converts them into biomass pellets that are burned as fuel in Drax's large power station in Selby, North Yorkshire. The UK government has agreed to provide more than £10 billion in renewable energy subsidies to Drax between 2012 and 2027, despite criticism from green groups and climate scientists who claim that the wood used by the company is not sustainably sourced.
Local residents have reported experiencing adverse health effects since the facility opened a decade ago, including dizziness, headaches, and respiratory problems. They fear that the increased emissions could exacerbate existing health issues such as cancer and heart disease linked to air pollution.
"It's like they're poisoning us," said Jimmy Brown, who lives less than a mile from the plant. "You got dust falling all night, constant noise, odor, truck traffic... it's nonstop."
The permit decision came despite previous standards violations by the site, which resulted in fines of $250,000 and $2.5 million for releasing excessive pollutants.
A Drax spokesperson said the company was pleased that its concerns had been taken into account but declined to comment on ongoing legal matters. The lawsuit, filed by an attorney at Singleton Schreiber, alleges that the facility has unlawfully exposed residents to toxic chemicals and pollutants, which have coated their homes and put them at greater risk of diseases.
Environmental groups in Mississippi have expressed concern over the impact of Drax's operations on Gloster's residents, who are predominantly Black and low-income. In a letter to the state governor and environmental quality department, 85 advocacy organizations urged steps to ensure that the community can breathe clean air.
"The situation in Gloster is one of crisis," they wrote. "Those who can afford to leave are doing so, while those who remain are left to suffer worsening health."
biomass thingy... so like these people in Mississippi are dealing with crazy air pollution from this UK-owned plant that's basically poisoning them 
. And it gets even worse because the government is giving Drax billions of dollars to keep doing it, while local residents are literally dying 
. It's just not right. I feel so bad for those guys who can't escape the toxic dust and noise... I wish people would take care of each other more 
. And what's up with the environmental groups not being taken seriously? Like they're saying "oh no, Drax is making money off pollution" but nobody cares about the actual harm it's causing 
. Anyway, lawsuit sounds like a good start 
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just saw this news and it's crazy! 85 organizations in MS are speaking out about the toxic effects on Gloster residents 
. Did you know that wood pellets from Drax's plant contain PFAS, a known carcinogen? 
According to EPA data, air pollution from biomass facilities like Drax can cause up to 3,500 premature deaths annually in the US alone 
. Meanwhile, the UK government is pumping £10 BILLION into renewable energy subsidies for Drax... that's like, what, £1.2 MILLION per minute? 
. If we assume a conversion rate of 20 tons CO2 equivalent (tCO2e) per ton wood pellet burned, and using the average US power plant emissions factor of 1,100 tCO2e/MWh, we can estimate Drax's facility emits around 400,000 tCO2e annually... that's roughly equivalent to 85,000 cars on the road for a year 
! Time for some transparency and accountability, IMHO 
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The lawsuit is totally justified tho they need to hold these companies accountable for the harm they're causing 
I feel so bad for Jimmy Brown & his fam they deserve way better than to live next to a toxic factory 
We need more people to speak out against this kind of thing and demand change 
they're releasing toxic chemicals into the air and causing cancer, heart disease... it's like a nightmare. and what really gets me is that the uk government is just pouring billions of pounds into this company without even checking if their methods are sustainable? 
it's like they want to turn a blind eye to the suffering of these people. i mean, 85 advocacy groups are all like "hey governor, something needs to be done" but what about the lawsuits?! 
shouldn't we be seeing some serious accountability here? this is just so infuriating...
meanwhile, the uk gov is just chomping at the bit 2 give drax a sweet $10 billion windfall... no wonder ppl r mad 
meanwhile drax gets £10 billion in gov subs to keep burnin that wood... it's like they think they can just play fast & loose with environmental laws and everyone else will just chill 
and honestly, it's not just about them - it's about all the ppl who are sufferin from air pollution everywhere 
it's like they're being held hostage by a multibillion dollar corporation that doesn't care about the people living near their facility 
. It's not just the residents of Gloster who are affected, but also the whole community is suffering from it. I mean, what's wrong with renewable energy if it's not done sustainably? We need to hold companies like Drax accountable for their actions.
, but we need more voices speaking up against this kind of pollution. We can't just sit back and let companies like Drax exploit our environment for profit. We need to make some noise and demand change! 
. Don't wanna stifle innovation just 'cause some folks are sensitive to a little dust and noise 
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They need to take responsibility for their emissions and start treating people like actual humans instead of just statistics 
. And can we talk about how ridiculous it is that this company gets away with violating standards time and time again before they get in trouble? $250k and $2.5m fines, who cares? They're basically paying lip service to the environment while still ripping off the community 
, and I'm like, what's up with these animals, right? They're like, "oh, I'll just use my claws and... oh wait, nope, not gonna work"... Meanwhile, Drax Biomass is basically doing the same thing, but instead of coconuts, it's trying to open a permit for more emissions 
And another thing, have you seen those wood pellets they use? They look like they're made of actual wood... where do they even come from again? 
. I'd love to see some scientific studies or reports from reputable organizations to support these claims 
. And don't even get me started on the health impacts – who needs a study when people are literally living next to the plant and experiencing dizziness, headaches, and respiratory problems?! 
I mean, think about it, a group of residents from Gloster, Mississippi is actually suing Drax Biomass over permit for increased emissions... that's like, them taking control of their situation and not just sitting around. And on the other hand, it's crazy how much money the UK government is giving to Drax between 2012 and 2027... 
Don't even get me started on the environmental groups trying to speak out, but it sounds like the system is rigged against them. This Gloster town is being held hostage by Drax and I'm not buying it! 