CADA, Poor People’s Campaign rally in St. James as march resumes
The Coalition Against Death Alley (CADA) resumes its two-week campaign against petrochemical pollution and environmental injustice Wednesday, Oct. 23 with a march to the proposed site of the Formosa Plastics plant in St. James Parish. If fully permitted by LDEQ, this $9.4 billion facility eventually could double toxic chemical emissions – in a parish that’s already ranked ninth worst in Louisiana for toxic air emissions.
Marchers will also join forces with a powerful ally from The Poor People’s Campaign, the Rev, William J. Barber, Jr. Barber is a nationally recognized and widely acclaimed speaker and advocate on issues of poverty, systemic racism and ecological destruction. Barber will join CADA marchers for a press conference at the Formosa site, downriver from the Sunshine Bridge off LA 18, and also hold a rally Wednesday evening at Mount Calvary Baptist Church in St. James.
Here’s a look at events scheduled through the rest of the week:
Wednesday, October 23
- 9:00 am Board bus at 400 N. Carrollton, ride to Burton Lane in St. James
- 10:00 am March up Burton Lane to LA 18. Ride bus to Jones Street, march to Mount Calvary Baptist Church, 8103 Mt Calvary St, St James
- 1:30 pm March from Mount Calvary to Formosa proposed site off LA 18
- 2:00 pm Rally/press conference with Rev. William Barber/Poor People’s Campaign, then ride bus to Sunshine Bridge
- 3:15 pm March from Sunshine Bridge on LA 18 to Buena Vista Baptist Church and back to Sunshine Bridge
- 5:45 pm Ride Bus to Mount Calvary, 8103 Mt Calvary St, St James
- 6-7:30 pm Evening Rally/Guest speaker: Rev. Barber of Poor People’s Campaign. “We Must Do More” tour.
Thursday, October 24
- 9:00 am Board bus at 400 N. Carrollton
- 10:00 am Canefield Road off LA 3125 across from Mosaic Pond. Press conference.
- 11:00 am March up LA 3214 to LA 44, 1.8 miles
- 12:00 pm Lunch at Jeremiah Baptist Church, 3380 S Burnside Ave, Gonzales
- 2:00 pm Wreath laying at Brusly slave grave site on LA 70 by Shell’s dumpsite
- 2:30 pm Picnic and celebration rally at Romeville Park
Friday, October 25
- 10:00 am Picket at CF Industries 3918 LA 3089, Donaldsonville
- 11:30 am Bus to Sunshine Bridge for lunch
- 2 to 2:30 pm March from Claiborne and Railroad Ave to Donaldsonville City Hall, 609 Railroad Ave
- 2:30 – 3:30 Rally at City Hall
Monitor our Facebook page and our website, EndDeathAlley.org, for updated details on our itinerary and our progress along Cancer Alley. CADA will continue media updates on march stops, plans and developments. We will also effort interviews, news conferences, video, photos and audio from the march as it unfolds – contact Tom Wright with the Louisiana Bucket Brigade at tom@labucketbrigade.org for details.
Our demands:
- NO NEW PETROCHEMICAL PROJECTS IN THE RIVER PARISHES.
- BAN INDUSTRIAL EMISSIONS WITHIN 5 MILES OF PUBLIC SPACES
- EITHER CURB PRODUCTION AT DENKA TO STAY UNDER THE EPA-RECOMMENDED LIMIT FOR CHLOROPRENE EMISSIONS OR SHUT DENKA DOWN
- SHUT DOWN MOSAIC AND REMOVE THE TOXIC RADIOACTIVE GYPSUM WASTE MATERIAL THAT IS POSING A PUBLIC HEALTH RISK
- COVER HEALTHCARE COSTS INCURRED BY RESIDENTS DUE TO POLLUTION EXPOSURE
- END THE INDUSTRIAL TAX EXEMPTION PROGRAM