From the Worldwide Faith News archives www.wfn.org
African American Church Leaders on NCC Toxic Tour
From
CAROL_FOUKE.parti@ecunet.org (CAROL FOUKE)
Date
11 Mar 1998 16:16:15
National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.
Internet: wendym@ncccusa.org
NCC News Department: 212-870-2252, 2227, 2312 or 2152
Media Relations Contact Traveling With the Group: Carol Fouke
Cellphone Number(s) To Be Announced -- Check Message on 212-
870-2252
NCC3/10/98 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MARCH 11-14: PROMINENT AFRICAN AMERICAN CHURCH LEADERS WILL
CONDUCT TOUR TO INVESTIGATE ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM; PLAN ALSO TO
MEET WITH VICE PRESIDENT GORE
Washington, D.C., March 11-12 - Holiday Inn Thomas Circle
New Orleans, La., March 12-14 - Holiday Inn Select, Kenner,
La.
Louisiana's "Cancer Alley" is on the March 11 - 14 itinerary
of a senior delegation of prominent African American church
leaders as they undertake their environmental racism "Fact-
Finding Mission: Investigating the Human Ravages Against God's
Earth and God's People." They also plan to meet with Vice
President Gore in Washington, D.C. (TBA March 11 or 12)
The mission's goal is to mobilize African American churches in
the quest for environmental justice. "We need to find out how
to get our hearts wrapped around this issue," said the Rev.
Dr. William Watley, Chair of the ecumenical Black Church
Liaison Committee, which is co-sponsoring the tour. The
Committee is a joint initiative of the National Council of
Churches, which is making tour arrangements, and the U.S.
Conference of the World Council of Churches.
The denominational leaders' stops will include Convent, La.,
where residents are fighting to keep the Shintech Corporation
from building the largest proposed polyvinylchloride plastics
factory. The Shintech case has emerged as the most watched
and significant civil rights case to date involving charges of
environmental racism. The church leaders also will meet with
local pastors, environmental activists and policy advocates as
they make site visits in New Orleans, Oakville, New
Sarpy/Norco, Convent and Baton Rouge, La.
The African American church leaders also have requested a
meeting with Louisiana Governor Mike Foster.
****MEDIA WELCOME!****
News media are welcome to accompany the African
American church leaders as they make site visits in
Louisiana on Friday, March 13. Meet the group at
8:30 a.m. sharp at the Holiday Inn Select, Kenner,
La. Phone Carol Fouke, NCC Media Liaison, at the
hotel (504-467-5611 after 8 p.m. on Thursday, March
12, if you need more information).
The group will first visit the Agriculture Street
Landfill in New Orleans and gather at the Shirley
Jefferson Community Center for Orientation.
Next, in Oakville, La., the group will gather at the
Oakville Missionary Baptist Church. Lunch will be
around 1 p.m. at the River of Life Christian
Fellowship, New Sarpy, La., stopping later at the
Greater New Hope Baptist Church, Norco, La.
The group expects to arrive in Convent, La., around
3:30 p.m. and will gather at the Mt. Lily Baptist
Church.
The site tour will continue en route to Baton Rouge.
As the group leaves Convent (around 5:45 p.m.) and
drives along Highway I toward Baton Rouge, they will
pass the Dow Chemical Company (which bought out the
black community of Morrisonville) and what was
Sunrise, a black community which was bought out and
destroyed by a chemical company.
Arriving in Baton Rouge around 6:45 p.m., the group
will visit pollution sites, and has asked to meet
the Louisiana Governor for dinner at 7 p.m. before
leaving for New Orleans at around 8 p.m.
-end-
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