BIRMINGHAM, Ala.—Haley Lewis recently dreamed about Charlie Powell, who passed away over a month ago at 72. Powell was a key figure in Birmingham’s advocacy scene. Lewis, an attorney with the Environmental Integrity Project, is grappling with his loss.
Powell founded People Against Neighborhood Industrial Contamination (PANIC), which organized residents in north Birmingham around environmental advocacy. Lewis described him as a leader and mentor, committed to protecting environmental safeguards.
Among the protections he fought for was a federal rule requiring fenceline monitoring at coke oven facilities. These ovens, used in steelmaking, emit hazardous pollutants like benzene, which are carcinogenic. The rule was challenged when in 2025, the Trump administration exempted coke oven operators for two years, citing national security and technology availability.
Jaclyn Brass, a staff attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center, claims the exemption doesn’t meet legal requirements, arguing the technology to comply exists.
Fenceline monitoring had previously revealed high benzene levels, with some facilities displaying readings far above recommended exposure limits, increasing cancer risks in nearby communities. At ABC Coke in Alabama, benzene levels were significantly higher than safe thresholds, predominantly impacting Black neighborhoods.
The Trump EPA previously acknowledged available data did not indicate significant compliance issues, contradicting its exemption rationale. Environmental and grassroots groups have filed a lawsuit against this exemption, seeking its reversal. Jilisa Milton of the Birmingham-based GASP nonprofit emphasized the toll industrial pollution takes on local communities, advocating for change.
The lawsuit awaits a response from the Trump administration. Meanwhile, Lewis prepares for a public hearing on renewing ABC Coke’s air permit, encouraging public involvement to honor Powell’s legacy. “Mr. Powell definitely would have been there,” she said.
Original Story at insideclimatenews.org