Stop Formosa Plastics From Poisoning Residents of Cancer Alley

Stop Formosa Plastics From Poisoning Residents of Cancer Alley

Started
August 30, 2019
Petition to
Governor of Louisiana John Bel Edwards
Signatures: 4,363Next Goal: 5,000
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Why this petition matters

Started by Louisiana Bucket Brigade

Formosa Plastics, a company with a long, dirty record, wants to build a massive petrochemical facility along the Mississippi River in St. James Parish, Louisiana. 

The proposed plant would turn fracked gas into plastic pellets used to make throwaway plastic products like bags, utensils, and straws. It would operate 24/7, annually emitting thousands of tons of cancer-causing compounds, furthering environmental racism in Louisiana’s “Cancer Alley”—referred to as “Death Alley” by those who live and die there—by burdening the predominantly black community with toxic air and water pollution.

Sign our petition to Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards demanding he reject Formosa Plastics’ giant petrochemical complex.

The world's largest petrochemical companies are planning to build dozens of similar facilities in the Gulf of Mexico to make plastic. They are part of industry's horrifying goal to increase U.S. plastic production by 40 percent by 2030.

But there is still time to protect Death Alley residents from Formosa’s polluting plastic plant. Add your voice to our petition today!

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Dear Governor Edwards,

I urge you to deny Formosa Plastics' plan to build one of the largest plastic producing facilities in the world in St. James Parish. Expanding plastic production in Louisiana will harm our communities with more toxic air and water pollution and contribute to the growing global plastic-pollution crisis.

Formosa’s proposed plant would worsen the already toxic air quality in a predominantly black community known worldwide as “Cancer Alley” —referred to as “Death Alley” by those who live and die there—by emitting hundreds of thousands of cancer-causing compounds pounds per year. 

The project would also emit over 13 million tons per year of greenhouse gases—roughly the same amount as the country of Costa Rica—worsening the climate crisis that has already caused devastating storms, flooding, sea level rise, and natural disasters in Louisiana.

Formosa has a clear history of environmental and safety violations. Formosa’s Point Comfort plant in Texas was found liable for polluting Texas waterways with billions of plastic pellets, and now faces fines of up to $162 million. In Louisiana, Formosa’s Baton Rouge plant has racked up significant violations of the Clean Air Act every quarter over the past decade.  

This plant is just one of hundreds of petrochemical projects the fossil fuel industry is persuing in their plan to increase U.S. plastic production by 40% over the next decade. Plastic pollution has been documented in seafood essential to Louisiana's economy and culture, such as clams, oysters and fish. If current plastic production trends continue, plastic is predicted to outweigh all the fish in the sea by 2050.

Louisiana deserves a just transition to a cleaner economy and healthy environment. Please protect the lives of your constituents and reject Formosa's proposed petrochemical facility in St. James Parish (FG LA LLC Chemical Complex, AI# 198351).

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Signatures: 4,363Next Goal: 5,000
Support now
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Decision Makers

  • John Bel EdwardsGovernor of Louisiana