Louisiana Group Gets $4.5M to Fight Water Pollution and Help Communities
The focus of NEAN’s work will be harmful “forever chemicals” like PFAS and PCBs. These chemicals are found in water, food, and soil, and they don’t break down over time.
BATON ROUGE, La. — The National Environmental Action Network (NEAN), led by Dr. Lewis Ross Brown and Dr. Shamira A. Brown, has received $4.5 million from anonymous donors to help tackle water pollution in Louisiana. The money will support water testing, pollution prevention, and health education across Greater Baton Rouge, Greater New Orleans, and nearby parishes.
“This is a big step forward for our community,” said Dr. Shamira A. Brown, who grew up in Baton Rouge. “We’re bringing environmental health research back home—and we’re doing it to protect the people we love.”
The focus of NEAN’s work will be harmful “forever chemicals” like PFAS and PCBs. These chemicals are found in water, food, and soil, and they don’t break down over time. Studies link them to cancer, birth problems, and other serious health issues. NEAN will utilize the funding to develop more effective methods for testing and removing these chemicals from drinking water and natural water sources.
The grant will also support NEAN’s Meals on Wheels program, which delivers food and environmental health information to seniors and families in need.
Dr. Shamira A. Brown and Dr. Lewis Ross Brown will share more about this work on the National Environmental Health Radio Show on June 23 at 11 a.m. EST / 10 a.m. CST. The show airs on WABE-FM 90.1, a public radio station based in Atlanta, Georgia, and part of National Public Radio (NPR). The broadcast will focus on how chemical pollution affects fish, water systems, and the people who rely on them for food and drinking water. The Browns will also discuss new solutions to clean up the water and protect public health.
“This is not just about science—it’s about protecting lives,” said Dr. Lewis Ross Brown. “We’re working to make sure every family in Louisiana has access to clean, safe water.”
NEAN’s new funding puts Louisiana at the center of the national fight for clean water and environmental justice.
