St. James Parish officials failed to follow their own land use rules in 2023 when they backed a $185 million expansion at the Koch Methanol complex that would boost production, but also lead to increased air and water pollution, a state appellate panel has found.

The divided ruling issued Wednesday throws into question the legal basis for the Mississippi River plant's expansion, which has been partially built and operating for about a year but that company officials said also isn't yet finished.

Coming about a month after a federal appellate panel breathed new life into another lawsuit seeking a moratorium on all new industrial development in St. James, the new state court decision gives another victory to activists fighting the expansion of industry in largely poor and Black communities

See Full Page