A Louisiana federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction barring the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) from defunding state agencies over allegations of discrimination and civil rights violations.
Under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the federal government can defund entities found to discriminate based on race, creed, or national origin. The EPA and the DOJ were attempting to use this section of the Civil Rights Act to ensure any future projects approved in Louisiana would not disproportionately expose minority communities to pollution, while also reducing current pollution levels.
Former Louisiana attorney general and current Gov. Jeff Landry sued the EPA last year, arguing that the rules were unconstitutional due to the focus on race and violation of the Clean Air Act. He also argued that the requirements were a federal government overreach because it was attempting to invade “the purview of the State’s domain.”...
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