Federal court blocks EPA’s stricter regulations on Louisiana rubber manufacturer amid ongoing pollution concerns in Cancer Alley.

A federal appellate court has effectively prevented the EPA from enforcing stricter regulations on a Louisiana synthetic rubber manufacturer, Denka Performance Elastomer, which has been a key part of the Biden administration’s efforts to address pollution in the area known as Cancer Alley. The court’s stay order endorsed a recent decision by Louisiana regulators to give Denka until mid-2026 to meet tighter limits on emissions of chloroprene, an organic compound EPA deems a likely carcinogen. The decision would circumvent earlier rulings by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit that no stay was needed. The 5th Circuit is often considered the nation’s most conservative appellate court.