By Nolan McKendry | The Center Square

The Calcasieu River is a vital artery for southwestern Louisiana’s economy and habitat for wildlife, but is listed among the nation’s most at-risk rivers according to national environmental nonprofit American Rivers.

The America’s Most Endangered Rivers designation follows mounting concerns over toxic pollution from dozens of industrial facilities, many of which have long violated federal environmental standards.

Public records from the Environmental Protection Agency show a troubling pattern of regulatory noncompliance in the region.

Across five parishes—Calcasieu, Cameron, Beauregard, Jefferson Davis, and Allen — 354 facilities are currently flagged for violations and 60 have been hit with formal enforcement action.

Twelve of those include major industrial businesses and are classified as having “significant violations.” Of those twelve, ten have remained in noncompliance for at least three consecutive years.

“Far from being able to support the vibrant communities and local economies of Louisiana, the Calcasieu itself is on life support,” Chantel Dominguez, Director of Community Campaigns and Engagement for American Rivers, said in the report.

Indorama Ventures Olefins LLC, a chemical manufacturing facility in Westlake, incurred more than $1.5 million in penalties. It currently has an outstanding “High Priority Violation” for releasing harmful pollutants such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and volatile organic compounds.

The 12 entities identified with significant violations include:

• Cameron Interstate Pipeline LLC – Holbrook Compressor Station
• Cameron LNG, LLC
• Chemical Waste Management – Lake Charles Facility
• Citgo Petroleum Corp – Lake Charles Truck Loading Facility
• Equistar Chemicals LP – Lake Charles Polymers Site
• Indorama Ventures Olefins LLC – Westlake Ethylene Plant
• LACC, LLC US / Lotte Chemical Louisiana LLC
• Lake Charles Manufacturing Complex
• Louisiana Pigment Co LP
• City of Oakdale
• Westlake Chemicals & Vinyls LLC – Westlake
• Westlake US 2 LLC – Westlake

In total, the EPA has assessed $2.19 million in penalties against these entities.

The Calcasieu River, which winds through some of Louisiana’s most ecologically rich landscapes, supports a network of bayous and marshes that serve as nurseries for fish and wildlife. It once underpinned a booming commercial fishing industry and remains culturally and economically significant to local communities.

“It is time to stop the unnecessary toxic pollution of this vital river and its estuary,” American Rivers said in its report.

The organization is urging the EPA to update and enforce long-overdue water pollution standards, calling for federal action to halt the unchecked flow of hazardous waste into the river.

Now recognized as a danger to public health and ecosystems, the pressure is mounting.

According to the report, these pollutants have contributed to elevated levels of toxins that continue to affect public health. The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality advises pregnant women to eat no more than one meal per month of fish from the river due to mercury, PCBs, and other carcinogenic contaminants.

The region has also seen several high-profile disasters. In 1994, a spill dumped over 1.7 million pounds of ethylene dichloride into the west bank of the Calcasieu. In 2006, millions of gallons of oil leaked from a refinery, contaminating roughly 150 miles of shoreline.

Both events led to extensive environmental damage, including massive fish kills, forced evacuations, and toxic exposure in nearby communities such as Mossville.

The Clean Water Act requires the EPA to regularly revise pollution limits based on technological advancements.

However, “two-thirds of the standards are more than 30 years old,” according to American Rivers. “This means that the plastics plants, chemical plants, and refineries discharging into the Calcasieu lack limits for known toxic pollutants.”

Many new industrial facilities are still being planned along the Calcasieu and its estuary, but environmental groups say it’s not too late to act.

“There is still time to stop the harmful, unnecessary, continuous dumping of toxic waste into the river before ecological collapse and the loss of the fishing industry occurs,” the group said.

The Mississippi River was also listed by the group as endangered − taking the number one spot.