In Cancer Alley, Louisiana, company cancels plans for grain export facility in historic black town

WALLACE, Louisiana – Residents of a historic black community in Louisiana, who spent years fighting a massive grain export facility that would be built on the site where their enslaved ancestors lived, appear to have finally halted the project.

A representative of the company, Greenfield Louisiana LLC, announced during a public hearing Monday night that the company is “ceasing all plans” to build a grain export facility in the downtown area of ​​Wallace in St. John Parish. Baptist.

After a moment, opponents of the project burst into applause and began clapping and hugging each other.

“Obviously, I still don’t believe it – I can’t believe this is happening, but I’m ecstatic and full of praise for the ancestors,” said Joy Banner, a Wallace resident and one of the project’s most vocal opponents. She and her sister, Jo, founded the Descendants Project to preserve the community’s heritage.

The company’s announcement signaled a rare victory for a community on a heavily industrialized stretch of the Mississippi River known as “Cancer Alley” for its high levels of pollution. Wallace is about 50 miles west of New Orleans.

“I think all the fighting comes from the love and passion for our communities that we have here along the river and to show the world that we can and should fight,” Banner said. “We are recognizing that we have power – that power comes from the love we have for our community.”

Earlier this year, the Banner sisters’ nonprofit purchased a plantation that was the scene of one of the largest slave rebellions in American history, the German Coast Revolt of 1811. They plan to turn it into an educational space.

The Army Corps of Engineers had previously found the 222-acre (90-hectare) facility could negatively impact cultural heritage sites in Wallace and was tasked with reviewing Greenfield’s request.

Army Corps representative Brad LaBorde said his agency was not informed in advance of the company’s unexpected decision to cancel plans for the installation.

“We don’t know exactly what that means,” LaBorde said. “We still have an active permit application, so if it is Greenfield’s intention not to proceed with the project, then we would ask them to formally send us a withdrawal so we can complete the review.”

Lynda Van Davis, counsel and head of external affairs for Greenfield, said the long delay in government approval of the project was “a costly ordeal,” adding that she did not have an answer as to when the company would submit a formal withdrawal to the Army. Body.

“This has been a difficult journey all along, we didn’t wake up yesterday and say we’re done,” Van Davis said. “We said we would continue the fight a little longer, because we became friends with this community. Unfortunately, how long must we remain in this fight?”

The Army Corps found the project could affect historic properties in Wallace, including the Evergreen, Oak Alley and Whitney plantations. The possibility also remained that the area contained cemeteries of the ancestral black community.

Some community members supported the project, believing it would bring jobs to their city, although opponents of the mechanism claimed that tourism around cultural heritage was already a thriving industry that deserved greater investment.

“I longed for economic development in my community – jobs, new businesses, just a better life for my community,” said Nicole Dumas, 48, a Wallace resident who supported the project.

But the night became a celebration for others. Angelica Mitchell, 53, held back tears upon hearing the company’s announcement. Mitchell is still recovering from treatment for a rare form of cancer that attacked his pancreas, but chose to attend the public hearing despite his health difficulties. The facility would have been built a few hundred meters from her home.

“To hear that they’re pulling out, I’m really excited, my prayers have been answered because I’ve been praying for this for the last three years,” Mitchell said. “I’ve been asking God, just don’t let this plant enter our community. I don’t want that for our children.”

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Jack Brook is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report to America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to cover undercovered issues.