Dozens of advocates gathered on New Orleans’ west bank Wednesday, Oct. 16 to begin the Coalition Against Death Alley’s March Against Death Alley.

Organizers led marchers from a meeting point at General DeGaulle Drive and LB Landry Avenue toward the Crescent City Connection, but were not allowed to cross the bridge due to a lack of permits. A bus took advocates across and they resumed their march, heading down Camp Street before turning onto Poydras Street toward the corporate offices of Entergy Louisiana.

March leaders called attention to a long list of problems stemming from industrial pollution, government failures and corporate greed.

“What is happening in St. John and St. James parishes, by the governor allowing these petrochemical industries to poison the citizens, is the same way that certain things in the environment of New Orleans is affecting us,” said The Reverend Gregory Manning with CADA. “The same pollutants that are going on in St. John and St. James are going to impact us. They’re moving downriver, upriver, wherever else. There’s no dome over Orleans Parish. We drink the same water, we breath the same air, we grow our food from the same soil.”

Manning noted Entergy’s paid actors scandal and the City Council’s approval of a natural gas-fueled power plant in New Orleans East, despite concerns about pollution from the plant and allegations of environmental racism by many residents.

EDITORS: You can find video of CADA organizers’ comments at this link.

Partners in the CADA march include RISE St. James, The Concerned Citizens of St. John, the Louisiana Bucket Brigade, Justice and Beyond, 350 New Orleans and more.

Here’s a look at march activities in New Orleans through the rest of the week:

Wednesday, October 16

• 3-3:30 PM Arrive at Gordon Plaza and rally
• 6-7:30 PM Evening rally with health fair at Broadmoor Community Church, 2021 S. Dupre St.

Thursday, October 17

• 10-10:45 AM Civil District Court. 421 Loyola Ave, New Orleans; visit with Mayor Cantrell
• 11:30 AM-12:30 PM March 1.3 miles to Perdido and Broad (Jail)
• 11:40 AM Stop at ICE office on 1250 Poydras Ave. to point out issue of climate refugees
• 1:30 PM DA’s office on White Street
• 2:15-3:30 PM March on Broad to Youth Study Center
• 6-7:30 PM Evening rally, Pentecost Baptist Church, 1510 Harrison Ave.

Friday, October 18

• 10-11:00 AM press conference at S&WB, 625 St. Joseph St.
• 11:00 AM-2:00 PM March 1.5 miles on Earhart Blvd to Broad St. overpass, ride bus to Gert Town
• 2:00 PM Bus ride to LaPlace
• 4-5:00 PM LaPLace CBD/Walmart 1616 W Airline Hwy, Laplace, LA 70068. Pass out flyers
• 6-7:30 PM Evening rally at Tchoupitoulas Chapel, 1022 LA-44, Reserve, LA 70084

Wednesday, Oct. 23, the Reverend William Barber of the Poor People’s Campaign rallies with marchers at Mount Calvary Baptist Church, 8103 Mt Calvary St, St James, LA 70086. We will have further updates on activities in the River Parishes and heading into Baton Rouge in coming days.

Go to CADA’s Facebook page and our website, EndDeathAlley.org, for updated details on our itinerary and our progress along Cancer Alley. And CADA will send daily media updates on march stops, plans and developments.

Video and photos of the march are available – 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