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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. What are the organization's future goals, and how does it plan to achieve them?

2. How does the organization conceptualize and prioritize community engagement and leadership in its work?

3. What are some of the most pressing environmental justice issues in Orange County, and how is the organization working to address them?

 The work by the Orange County Environmental Justice (OCEJ) organization can potentially advance justice and good governance by addressing environmental injustices in Orange County. By educating and empowering communities, OCEJ can increase awareness of the impacts of environmental issues such as air pollution, water contamination, and climate change, leading to more informed and engaged citizens. OCEJ's advocacy efforts can also help hold local government and industry accountable for addressing environmental injustices and promoting more sustainable practices

Their website has a history of past press releases and publications featuring the organization and its work. This includes local news including Telemundo and Daily Pilot detailing their work and collaboration with UC Irvine, among other organizations, as they conduct their research and present their findings.

1.  The OCEJ works closely with community members in the region; this includes the University of California, Irvine, and other community-based organizations and advocacy groups working on environmental issues in Orange County.

This organization was conceptualized in 2016 and officially notated as a non-profit in 2019, garnering it as reasonably new; with that comes challenges to bring about awareness and build communal support for OCEJ. As with other environmental justice organizations, the nature of the work and the mission to center marginalized communities present challenges and overcome historical and systemic oppressions that have contributed to disproportionate exposure to environmental harm.

OCEJ does not explicitly state they have a unique approach to organizing in their non-profit. Still, within their mission and considering the individuals who comprise their staff and advisory board, I would argue they have a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic approach to environmental justice. There are members from the Acjachemen and Tongva Nations, Asian American-Pacific Islander, and Latinx communities who are working collaboratively to achieve environmental justice.

OCEJ has conducted several studies to highlight the environmental disparities within Orange County. Notably, this includes campaigns like Communities Organizing For Better Water !Plo-No! Santa Ana and Environmental Justice Organizing Academy