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Facing a pivotal federal investigation into Louisiana’s relationship with petro-chemical companies, the state’s attorney general hired lawyers who were simultaneously representing one of the main corporations at the center of the investigation, documents reveal.

The revelations, contained in documents released under public records requests, have led to allegations of a major conflict of interest and come just weeks after the Environmental Protection Agency [EPA] dropped its civil rights investigation.

Internal emails, contracts and payments, show that the office of the attorney general, Jeff Landry, hired two lawyers to enter closed-door negotiations with the EPA during the 14-month civil rights investigation. But John King and Tim Hardy were also representing the Taiwanese chemicals firm Formosa in separate litigation, challenging a decision to revoke the company’s state air permits. (Moran and Sneath 2023).

In the 1980s, Formosa Plastics Corporation purchased financially struggling petrochemical plants in Delaware, Texas, and Louisiana. The company subsequently shifted its operations to Texas and Louisiana, where a competitive bidding process ensued between the two states, both of which were known for industry-friendly policies (Tubilewicz 2021). As political scientist Tubilewicz (2021, 16) has argued, the politics surrounding Formosa's investments in these states were not purely motivated by profit but were also shaped by the ongoing struggles of sub-state actors such as politicians and NGOs over issues of internationalization and representation in global affairs.

An example of this can be seen in Formosa's attempt to build a rayon fiber plant in Louisiana's St. John Parish in the late 1990s, an area also known as "Cancer Alley." Protests broke out due to concerns about massive tax exemptions, displacement of Black residents, and the plant's location on the historic Whitney Plantation (Tubilewicz 2021, 11). However, the project was eventually abandoned due to declining market demand and delays. In addition, the local St. John Governor was indicted for illegal industrial rezoning of land around the plantation and receiving $200,000 in real estate commission (Tubilewicz 2021, 11).

1. This is a standout organization to unite many underrepresented groups and collectively advocates for solutions to their issues. I believe this is a great strategy to bring about genuine change in policy, laws, and, hopefully, the future lives of Californians.

2. 1. What are some of the biggest challenges facing the environmental justice movement in California today, and how is CEJA addressing these challenges?

   2. How does CEJA approach community engagement and leadership development, and what role do community organizations play in the organization's work?

1. From the sources shared on their website, they seem to be well-regarded by major news outlets and other sources for media. CEJA’s headlines are generally featured as necessary and critical to the context in which they advocate for communities of color disproportionately impacted by higher exposure to pollution. Of course, though, prominent industry leaders for oil and agriculture are opponents of this organization.

1. This organization is a coalition of other organizations; therefore, they work intimately with core members; Asian Pacific Environmental Network (APEN), Communities for a Better Environment (CBE), Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice (CCAEJ), Center on Race, Poverty and the Environment (CRPE), Environmental Health Coalition (EHC), People Organizing to Demand Environmental and Economic Rights (PODER)

2. And community partners; Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE), Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability, Physicians for Social Responsibility – Los Angeles, and Strategic Concepts in Organizing Policy Education (SCOPE).

1. Environmental Justice issues are increasingly complex, so naturally, this presents challenges for CEJA, among many other organizations centralized around EiJ.

1. CEJA does not necessarily have any claims of it using any unique strategies for addressing the problems they work on. If anything, I would note that the fact it is a coalition of multiple Environmental Justice Organizations from all over California would be characteristic enough to stand out.

1. CEJA produces and shares a wide range of data and research on EiJ issues in California. Their website has a section dedicated solely to the resources produced and circulated among their coalition. This includes the bills and legislation they are reviewing and various sources regarding pollution reports like oil refineries, power plants, and transportation.

1. The principal initiatives of CEJA campaigns are central to Policy Advocacy, Community Organizing, Research and Analysis, and Leadership development. They work to advance local, state, and federal environmental justice policies. A research and analysis team can provide evidence of the harmful effects of various pollutants that affect their communities, educate local stakeholders on these issues, and promote engagement of historically underrepresented groups to champion policy to address these concerns.

• CEJA has physical office spaces in Oakland and Los Angeles, California. They have their website and social media to communicate with their members, supporters, and the general public.