Life in St. James
What is Happening in Saint James Parish?
St James Parish is a city in Louisiana that is located in an area that people call “Cancer alley”. It got this nickname after a majority of the population there was diagnosed with cancer. The reason why so many people were developing cancer is because of the dense number of factories that are on that strip. There are over 230+ petrochemical factories along a short 85 mile distance. The gasses that are released from these factories are toxic, and it contaminates the air, land. This is why the rates of cancer are extremely high in that area compared to anywhere else in the country.
The people that live in St. James are consistently speaking up about the struggles they face living in that environment. They speak about not being able to stand outside for long periods of time, and not being able to trust the water that comes out of their faucets. For instance, one of the residents living in St. James Parish, Myrtle Felton, talks about the health issues they are facing from petrochemical companies and the racial discrimination they are facing. They state “it’s time to end this discriminatory and harmful land use system in St James parish that has roots in slavery and its afterlife, and is now the cause of public health emergencies2″. She also states that “we need to stop adding harmful chemicals that are impacting our health and homes” in Louisiana2. This shows, that petrochemical companies and environmental racism is negatively impacting the communities well-being and doing more harm than good. In addition, visitors have said that they experience headaches, lightheadedness, and nausea from staying in St. James for short periods of time. Sharon Lavigne, a resident at St. James started to notice that all of her family and friends that lived in her city ended up developing cancer at some point. She then decided to start a movement called “Rise St. James” to bring attention to the declining air quality and the rise in cancer rates. She spoke to many cities and state government officials but not one was concerned about the health of the community living in that area. Nevertheless, she and her team continued to fight against the construction of new factories. In 2020, “Rise St. James” successfully stopped the decision to build a new factory called Formosa in the area. Despite that success, the state is currently working on building at least 13 new factories in “cancer alley”.
It is unfair that St. James and other cities on that 85 mile strip were targeted as the go-to place to build factories in this county. One reason they were targeted is because of environmental racism. This term means that areas with low income communities of color tend to live in areas with environmental disparities compared to white, higher income communities. Black and brown people usually live in areas that lack green spaces, lack trees, and are surrounded by industrialism like highways. To the government, those living conditions are not a pressing issue that needs to be addressed but the people in those communities are suffering medically. The people that live in St. James deserves environmental justice for their home.
Why is this Important?
The production of petrochemical companies are rising and raising environmental and health concerns. It is doing more harm than good. Additionally, the “petrochemical industry is one of the most greenhouse gas-intensive industries in the world1“. Which contributes to gas emissions, exposing those who come in to contact or live near these companies. As a result, these gas emissions bring rise to different health concerns such as cancer and hormonal disorders. Therefore, learning the health affects that comes along with petrochemical companies and ways to prevent further companies is important to create change.
The case, with Cancer Alley and St. James Parish is important because the residents of the community are being greatly affected. It is also endangering the environment and health of those who live there. With Formosa, coming along and building companies in St. James Church, they are ignoring and neglecting the well-being of the residents. They are more focused on producing products and gaining profit. Furthermore, more attention needs to be brought on this issue to help stand up for air pollution, public health and against petrochemical companies.
References:
1.) Vanaerschot, F. & Plaisier, M. (2021). The unbearable cost of single-use plastics. Fair Fin. (p.1-56)
2.) Laughland, O. (2023). Residents of Louisiana’s ‘Cancer Alley’ announce lawsuit against local officials. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/mar/21/louisiana-st-james-parish-cancer-alley-lawsuit
3.) Rise St. James: Battling Petrochemical Expansion in Cancer Alley. (n.d.). Rise St. James Louisiana. https://risestjames.org/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwwfiaBhC7ARIsAGvcPe5ddlO5sWJ8miPvRKqcON01MhSPBooJJZPVKFClJQeMXg6zqtDw0skaAqbVEALw_wcB