Target: Sharon Lavigne, President of Rise St. James
Goal: Praise Louisiana community for cancelling a chemical company’s bid to build a factory.
Chinese chemical company Wanhua withdrew their bid to build a factory in the St. James parish of Louisiana, to the relief of Louisiana activists. St. James is a part of the Reserve community, dubbed “Cancer Town” due to the higher rates and risks of cancer among its inhabitants. This is a result of a synthetic rubber plant located close to the community.
While the plant still remains, the cancellation of the construction of another chemical-heavy factory is still a major step in the right direction for the community. The existing plant alone releases dangerous amounts of chloroprene into the air, and another factory would magnify the dangers still further. The inhabitants of Reserve have already suffered enough with the rise in cancer. Petitions such as this one have circulated demanding changes be made to lower the risks and the rate, while the residents of Reserve have made similar demands.
The cancellation of Wanhua’s factory is only a small step, but it is still a step for the better nonetheless. It is proof that the activists’ efforts have not been in vain and will continue to bear fruit. Sign this petition to thank St. James for enabling this victory.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear President Lavigne,
The Wanhua chemical company has withdrawn their bid to build a factory in “Cancer Town,” all thanks to your efforts. The Reserve community has suffered from abnormally high cancer rates due to a synthetic rubber plant close to the area, and the construction of another chemical-heavy plant would have increased the rates even more.
The inhabitants of Reserve’s parishes and several activists groups have been fighting against these conditions for the past year. While the plant remains, they can take comfort in knowing that the problem will not be worsened by another structure releasing even more carcinogens into the air. We hope that the cancellation of this project will eventually lead to the plant itself being shut down.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Ken Lund
Thank you St. James for stopping the building of another cancer causing plant. People do need jobs but one that harms its employees is not what is needed.