City of New Orleans and OPSB Accused of Failing to Pay Millions in Landfill Judgments
A federal civil rights lawsuit has been filed against the City of New Orleans and the Orleans Parish School Board (OPSB), accusing them of failing to pay millions in court-ordered judgments related to the Agriculture Street Landfill case. The lawsuit, filed in May, claims that the city and OPSB have prioritized newer financial obligations over older court judgments, potentially violating the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The Agriculture Street Landfill site, designated a Superfund location by the Environmental Protection Agency in 1994, was found to be heavily contaminated. Residents who lived on or near the site sued, citing property loss, emotional distress, and long-term health impacts. In 2006, a judge ruled the site 'unreasonably dangerous,' and judgments grew to over $75 million. Despite some early settlements, many claimants, including former residents, business owners, and school staff, have not been compensated.