Letitia Johnson, Managing Partner of the Southeastern Region at Singleton Schreiber, was recently featured in Woodorking Network. Residents of Gloster, Mississippi, have filed a federal lawsuit against Drax Biomass and its subsidiaries, alleging that the company’s Amite BioEnergy wood pellet facility has unlawfully released large amounts of toxic pollutants into their community, violating the Clean Air Act and state environmental laws. Represented by Singleton Schreiber, the plaintiffs are seeking injunctive relief, civil penalties, and compensation for property damage, health risks, and emotional distress. They claim that since 2015, the facility has emitted hazardous substances, including volatile organic compounds, sulfur dioxide, and particulate matter, often in excess of permitted levels, resulting in visible wood dust on homes and heightened fears of cancer and respiratory disease.
Letitia Johnson emphasized that the case is about holding "a multi-billion-dollar foreign corporation accountable for poisoning a small Mississippi community," accusing Drax of benefiting from clean energy subsidies while failing to meet basic U.S. environmental standards. While Drax denies wrongdoing and cites environmental studies showing no link between its emissions and adverse health outcomes, residents argue that the company has prioritized profit over their well-being and must be held accountable.
