Environmental Injustice: St. James Parish

St. James Parish is located in an area of Louisiana known as Cancer Alley. It is plagued by petrochemical factories and environmental racism. It is a small town that sits on both edges of the Mississippi River with a “quiet, [and] peaceful atmosphere” (Living in St. James Parish). A place with extensive nature and outdoor activities. There are “places to fish, hunt, and take care of animals…[It] is surrounded by levees, sugar cane, trees, and just about everything having to do with nature” (Living in St. James Parish). This Parish even has some of the best public schools in Louisiana and 79% of people own their homes (St. James Parish, LA). It sounds like a wonderful town to start a life and have a family in, right? Unfortunately, St. James which was once dominated by sugar plantations is now known as Cancer Alley. It has been taken over by petrochemical plants which disregard the detrimental health effects they have on communities and peoples' health. This is environmental racism and injustice.

The Mississippi River runs right through the middle of St. James Parish and Louisiana (Mapping chemical plants, the pollution around them, and more chemical plants). The position between the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico made the area important for trade from the Atlantic to the North American interior. This, along with the marshy lands surrounding the river, made it a prime location for slave plantations. Louisiana started importing African slaves in 1719 when it was a French colony, bringing 2,000 Africans to New Orleans on Eight ships. Louisiana switched between Spanish and French rule until The United States bought it in the Louisiana purchase (Louisiana). By 1795, there were 19,926 enslaved Africans working on sugar plantations in Louisiana (Slavery in Louisiana).

All of this historical trauma creates mixed feelings about the Mississippi River and the land surrounding it. Dorothy Zeisler-Vralsted writes that the Mississippi River was seen through three contexts, “the river as empire-builder through the river as highway and connector of the vast American interior, the river as a nurturer of a garden landscape, and the river as a mediator between the natural world and civilization,” (Zeisler-Vralsted 2019). The Mississippi River is a place where colonizers arrived in Louisiana, the place where enslaved Africans were brought in by ship, yet the river offered hope of escape. The chaos of the river created enough cover for slaves to escape from plantations, the water that brought them in also aided in their freedom. Since this time, St. James Parish has been inflicted with a different type of oppression: environmental racism.

The long colonial experiment began on the banks of the lower Mississippi river “centuries ago with the clear-cutting of ancient bottomland hardwood forests and cypress swamps”, making room for indigo and sugar cane plantations. (Verdin. 2020) There is a clear relationship between slavery and colonialism, which has now transitioned itself to environmental racism. The footprints of former plantations were now being occupied by petrochemical plants and oil refineries. African American communities living along the Mississippi river have been plagued with toxic chemical emissions, polluted waterways and the deterioration of their health. Cities like Morrisonville, Diamond, Mossville, Sunrise and Revilletown, “all founded by formerly enslaved Americans, are being erased by environmental racism. (Reyna. 2020) 

Environmental Racism is the “disproportionate impact of environmental hazards on communities of color. Lax enforcement of zoning and environmental laws result in “communities being disproportionately exposed to toxic and hazardous waste based upon race.” (Green Action. 2020) Currently, there are over 150 oil refiners, plastic plants, and chemical facilities along the petrochemical corridor, also known as “cancer alley”. The obsession with “economic prosperity” is inextricably linked with the expansion of petrochemical facilities along the river. 

RISE St. James, founded in 2018 by Sharon Lavigne, is a grassroots organization that was formed to advocate for racial and environmental justice. When Lavigne noticed that her family and neighbors began to grow increasingly ill due to industrial pollutants from nearby plants, she began to take action to fight for justice. Black residents of Cancer Alley are more likely to be exposed to toxic pollutants than their white neighbors. In fact, Black Americans with a higher income are twice as likely to be exposed to pollutants than white Americans who have a lower income (Denne 2020). Due to racism, these Black communities are neglected by the government, which in turn leaves these residents on their own. In the current times of COVID-19, these carcinogenic air pollutants play an even greater role in the deteriorating health of St. James’ residents, as “long-term exposure to air pollution seems to be an important contributor to COVID-19 deaths” (Cirino 2020).

“Air pollution [is the] release of pollutants into the air that are detrimental to human health and the planet as a whole” (Mackenzie 2019). The majority of air pollution comes from the production and usage of energy. The burning of fossil fuels releases chemicals and greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. There are two main types of air pollution: smog and soot found in ambient or household environments as particulate matter. Smog is created when “emissions from combusting fossil fuels react with sunlight” (Mackenzie 2019). Soot, also known as particulate matter, “is made up of tiny particles of chemicals, soil, smoke, dust, or allergens, in the form of gas or solids” (Mackenzie 2019). Sources of air pollution includes anything that combusts fossil fuels like coal, gas, or natural gas. This comes from cars and trucks, factories, power plants, incinerators, engines, and much more. 

“Since I learned about the chemical pollution, I don’t be outside as much as I used to. And I think that’s horrible when you can’t enjoy God’s air.” -Myrtle Felton, resident of St. James Parish (Yawn 2020)

Air pollution affects environmental health. Air pollution releases gases such as carbon dioxide and increases the Greenhouse Effect. The Greenhouse Effect is when the sun's warmth gets trapped in the lower atmosphere when greenhouse gases absorb the heat. This is a detrimental cycle because air pollution is worsened by climate change as higher temperatures lead to the formation of smog as well as “increases the production of allergenic air pollutants including mold… and pollen” (Mackenzie 2019). When inhaled, these dangerous particles can get stuck in the lungs and bloodstream. Air pollution can also lead to rapid climate changes which are also seen through changes in the ecosystem: weather dramatically shifts, diseases arise, and species face extinction.

Communities of color in correlation with geographical location, children, the elderly, and low socio-economic status take the brunt of the impacts of climate change and of air pollution (EPA 2020). St. James Parish, Louisiana located in Cancer Alley is one of many places in the United States feeling the effects of climate change more severe due to its proximity to petrochemical plants brought to the community because of environmental racism. 

St. James originally welcomed new industries to their community, and by 1964, the community planned on bringing in a “Gulf Oil facility that would produce 80 million barrels of methanol a year and bring needed jobs to the community” (Yawn 2020). Unfortunately, despite the job opportunities it provided, the facility also brought with it a ton of pollution that would negatively impact these neighboring communities. Ethylene Oxide is not seen visibly in the air, but the effects are visibly seen as more residents have began to develop illnesses, which they first assumed to be minor issues, but they were soon diagnosed with much more serious problems. Some health effects St. James Parish residents have experienced are: death from cancer, aluminum found in bodies, cardiovascular problems, respiratory problems, cerebrovascular/strokes, headaches, diabetes, asthma, and more (Yawn 2020) (2005, Parish Health Profiles, St. James Parish). Sharon Lavigne, a former school teacher who quit her job to form RISE St. James, a grassroots organization, “has been diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis and was found to have aluminum in her body, both of which she believes were caused by air pollution” (Yawn 2020). In recent news, Formosa, a new petrochemical plant, plans to build in St. James and has resulted in much backlash from the residents. The new locations of these plants are placed in poor (16.6% of people live in poverty) and predominantly Black neighborhoods which, according to Lavigne, is the government’s way of killing the residents by not putting a stop to these plants being built (Yawn 2020).

As of 2020, Formosa, a company from Taiwan, could double the amount of ethylene oxide in their air (Yawn 2020). The United States Department of Labor states: “EtO is both flammable and highly reactive. Acute exposures to EtO gas may result in respiratory irritation and lung injury, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, shortness of breath, and cyanosis. Chronic exposure has been associated with the occurrence of cancer, reproductive effects, mutagenic changes, neurotoxicity, and sensitization.” And under the Hazard recognition tab of the United States Department of Labor in a long list, they state: “Ethylene Oxide. NTP classification: Known to be a human carcinogen.” Again we see the effect air pollution has on the residents' personal and environmental health: according to 2020 County Health Rankings for the 64 Ranked Parishes in Louisiana, St. James is ranked 26 for health out comes and 21 for health factors. The average daily density of fine particulate matter in micrograms per cubic meter is (PM2.5). US: 8.6 LA Min : 9.4 LA Max 8.010"(County Health Rankings for the 64 Ranked Parishes in Louisiana).

“Formosa's applications for air permits were approved, despite 15,000 signatures submitted to the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality in opposition of the petrochemical plant. Formosa said in an emailed statement on March 17 that their emissions will comply with all state and national standards and that they will work to keep emissions below the amount the permit allows. Compounding the issue is St. James residents’ mistrust of local government — which residents feel has directed incoming industry toward the majority-black parish districts" (Yawn 2020). In an effort to drive out the new Formosa plant that has plans of being built in St. James, RISE St. James has been working to make sure their voices are heard within the government. For instance, in February of 2020, RISE St. James and other advocacy groups appealed the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) decision to approve FG’s (an affiliate company of Formosa) air permits for the factory (Cirino 2020). Their appeal addresses that the LDEQ’s approval of FG’s air permit was not backed up by scientific evidence, and the fact that they had planned on building on top of a slave burial site. 

Diane Wilson, a former shrimper and environmental activist, has been documenting Formosa’s pollution track record for nearly 30 years, and challenged the company in court after FG claimed that they take environmental and safety concerns very seriously. In a 1994 lawsuit, Wilson was able to win an agreement with Formosa that they would not discharge plastics from their Texas facilities. However, Formosa failed to hold the end of their agreement, and so Wilson gathered evidence of thousands of plastic bags that came from their facilities and was able to get a $50,000 settlement that would go toward local environmental projects (Collier 2019). Wilson is now working with the residents of St. James to stop Formosa from further developing their new plant.

“In the 40 years Felton has lived on the east bank of the Mississippi River in Louisiana’s St. James Parish, more than a dozen petrochemical plants have set up shop in the parish’s predominantly poor, predominantly black districts” (Yawn 2020). It seems the way some of these plants are trying to make their plan inhabiting space within the community is okay, to say it will bring jobs. This does not seem to be the case. Though the industries say employ many community members, "residents... say they’ve seen little economic benefit – either in jobs or tax revenues – Instead, ... they’ve been saddled with a myriad of health issues, medical bills and environmental degradation" (Zanolli 2017). This 80 billion dollar chemical industry "targets poor communities" for industrial development (Meiners 2019) (Zanolli 2017). These communities consist of “mostly poor and African American” people (Zanolli 2017). The petrochemical industry has

"thrust residents into a financial trap. They can’t afford to leave without selling their houses, but the predominance of industrial plants and pipelines has slashed home values and scared off buyers. Many here see only one ticket out: a residential buyout by industrial companies operating here." --(Zanolli 2017)

This cycle was created partially due to the "generous tax breaks that are largely borne at the local level" (Zanolli 2017). The state’s Industrial Tax Exemption Program (ITEP), giving out an average of $36.5m in tax breaks every year. That’s compared to a total of $61.8m in taxes actually collected in the parish (Zanolli 2017). This "downward cycle ...[disproportionately weights] on the wealth and health of Black people" (Jervis and Gomez 2020).

"'We are St. James Parish,' says Lavigne, speaking at the gathering. 'This is our home. We aren't going anywhere. Formosa has a fight in its hands'" (Collier 2019).

 Call the Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards:  (225) 342-0991

In addition to asking him to intervene to stop the Formosa plant, consider thanking him for  vetoing HB197,  a bill that would have heavily criminalized the activism of RISE ST. JAMES.

Call the St. James Parish Council President & Members

“BEG them to please rescind their vote [to approve the Formosa facility], re-do it again and tell Formosa to hit the road.” – Sharon Lavigne

P.O. Box 106

5800 Highway 44

Convent, LA 70723

Phone: (225) 562-2260

SAMPLE MESSAGE

Hello,

My name is [insert name]. I am a resident of [City/State] and I am [emailing/calling] today to demand [a VETO of HB197 for being an egregious violation of the US Constitution’s first amendment, and] the rescission of the approval of the Formosa Plastics facility in St. James Parish.

Formosa is proposing to build one of the world’s largest plants for turning fracked gas into plastic pellets, which would double the toxic air pollution in the largely Black communities of St. James. This area is already known as  Cancer Alley  or Death Alley because of health problems related to industrial pollution pollutants that are highly dangerous to the environment and the surrounding communities. This is a clear case of environmental racism. As a person of faith and conscience with the Unitarian Universalist church, I am compelled to reach out in solidarity with the organization  RISE ST. JAMES   and the Parish residents who are directly impacted by the damage that would be caused by Formosa. PLEASE do the right thing — set up a meeting with RISE ST JAMES,put in place a moratorium in new industrial development and expansion projects,and take action now to stop this Formosa Plastics facility.

There are numerous resources and information sheets available at  stopformosa.org/ 

if you need to learn more.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

(UUMFE 2020)