The Breakdown: Denka chemical plant denied appeal on new federal emissions rule [Video]

RESERVE, La. — A bit of background: in April, the Environmental Protection Agency strengthened Clean Air Act regulations and put new restrictions on chemical plants to greatly reduce the amount of chloroprene released. The EPA says the rule would reduce the number of people at elevated cancer risk by 96 percent.

Back to Denka: the company told our Rachel Handley back in May that there was no way it would meet the deadline to reduce these emissions and may have to shut down its plant in LaPlace, putting 250 jobs at risk.

The company filed an emergency motion to extend the 90-day deadline.

According to our partners at the Times Picayune New Orleans Advocate, Denka told the court it will take two years to install the necessary equipment and other plants who emit …