William "Willie" Fontenot somehow became an environmental activist with real power in Louisiana — no small feat in a state that has long embraced the oil and petrochemical industries.

That power was eventually taken away, but not before Fontenot forged a lasting legacy working on behalf of Louisiana communities. He is now being remembered for those efforts, with the renowned environmental activist who held a unique role in state government having died on Nov. 23 at his home in Baton Rouge. He was 82.

His career intersected with a period of Louisiana’s history when, under an environmentally minded attorney general, Fontenot was tasked with organizing community groups and helping them leverage state powers to confront polluting industries. That was a position that was created for Font

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