Gloster Fights Back-and Wins

Gloster residents traveled to Jackson to challenge Drax’s permit request from the MDEQ Permit Board on April 8. Photo by Antionette McKay

Gloster Fights Back—and Wins: A Big Step in the Battle Against Drax Biomass Plant

By Leo Carney

The people of Gloster, Mississippi recently scored a major environmental justice victory when the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) denied multinational biomass giant Drax’s permit to continue polluting their community. The decision marks a critical moment in an ongoing struggle between a rural, majority-Black town and one of the world’s largest wood pellet manufacturers—proving once again that when we fight, we can win.

For years, Drax has operated with impunity in vulnerable communities across the U.S. South, emitting dangerous levels of air pollutants under the guise of “renewable energy.” In Gloster, community members have rallied against this environmental harm, which not only endangers public health but threatens to reverse years of grassroots progress toward sustainable and equitable land use.

MDEQ’s permit denial didn’t happen in a vacuum. It came after months of organizing, public comments, community meetings, and courageous testimony from residents who refused to be ignored. These voices—backed by local and regional environmental justice organizations—held the line against corporate greenwashing and regulatory neglect.

This win is worth celebrating—but the fight is far from over.

Capital Police were on high alert prior to the MDEQ Permit Board Meeting. Photo by Lea Campbell

Gloster’s struggle is a microcosm of a broader environmental justice movement in Mississippi and across the South, where low-income and Black communities are too often treated as sacrifice zones. Denying Drax’s permit is a powerful reminder that collective action works—but it also makes clear that vigilance is required to keep polluters out and build the healthier, more sustainable future Gloster deserves.

The Mississippi People’s Movement needs your help to keep the momentum going.

Spread the word. Share the photos. Uplift the stories of everyday people who spoke truth to power and made change happen. And most importantly, stay plugged in. Gloster still needs your solidarity—and so do communities like it across the region.

Together, we’re building something bigger than any one permit denial. We’re building a future where our voices matter more than corporate profits, and where justice is rooted in the land we protect and the people who call it home.