Across Louisiana, nothing more than a fenceline separates many communities from toxic refineries, chemical plants and other hazardous sites. The majority of these neighborhoods are home to African American families – searing evidence of the systemic racism that has put Black Louisianans on the front lines of the pollution and climate crises. The petrochemical industry has destroyed their property values, their homes and their health. Every day, the Louisiana Bucket Brigade works alongside these communities to build their power and turn the tide.
We tackle the most pressing challenges.
The Bucket Brigade places those most impacted by polluting industries at the center of strategy development and implementation. We take on the worst polluters in a region where industry pollution and political power dominate — and this approach works. Fenceline partners have negotiated buyouts of contaminated property, pressured the state government to install air monitors, gained increased government oversight and stopped facility expansion and construction that would have devastated communities and Louisiana with increased pollution and carbon emissions. Read more about our shared victories.
We help coordinate, plan and mobilize.
Our team works with neighbors to organize local groups to stand up for their health and their communities. Sometimes an existing group calls on us; other times a few people call and we help them create a group. Together, we establish a specific goal and collaborate on how best to achieve it. These goal-driven accomplishments are the way we measure success.
Currently, our most active partnerships are with FISH in Cameron Parish, Rural Roots in Ascension Parish, and Inclusive Louisiana in St. James Parish.
It’s always a team effort.
We work together and win together. Our deepest collaborations have been with these organizations:
- Community Empowered for Change (Baton Rouge)
- Concerned Citizens of Norco
- Concerned Citizens of New Sarpy
- Descendants Project (St. John)
- Fishermen Involved in Sustaining our Heritae (FISH)
- Humanitarian Enterprise of Loving People (H.E.L.P.) Association (St. James Parish)
- Inclusive Louisiana (St. James Parish)
- Residents for Air Neutralization (Shreveport)
- RISE St. James
- Rural Roots Louisiana
- Standard Heights Neighborhood Association (Baton Rouge)
- St. Bernard Citizens for Environmental Quality (Chalmette)
- St. Rose Community One Voice
We’ve worked with people throughout Louisiana:
- Algiers
- Alsen
- Convent
- Donaldsonville
- Isle de Chiens
- Lake Charles
- Lower Ninth Ward
- Marrero
- Meraux
- Mossville
- New Orleans
- New Sarpy
- Norco
- Port Allen
- St. Bernard Parish
- Venice
- And beyond.
The benefits go far beyond the fence.
Along with our partners, we seek systematic change that forces a transition from fossil fuels and pivots our state and our planet to a different mindset, one that does not rely on industries that bully us. Because the air we breathe doesn’t have borders, our fenceline campaigns impact everyone.