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Article: Uprising in Cancer Alley.(Convent-St. James, Louisiana region beset with petrochemical pollution)(Brief Article)
- Article from:
- The Progressive
- Article date:
- October 1, 1997
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1997 The Progressive, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Convent, Louisiana
Chimney stacks punctuate the 100-mile stretch between Baton Rouge, and New Orleans. This strip of land is home to 138 petrochemical companies: Texaco, Borden, Occidental Chemical, Kaiser Aluminum, Chevron, IMC-Agrico, Dow, and Du Pont--to name a few.
State and local officials say the petrochemical industry contributes billions of dollars to the local economy. Residents call the area Cancer Alley and say the industry has destroyed the environment.
Like the rest of Cancer Alley, the town of Convent has its share of industry. According to the EPA's latest toxic-release inventory, more than twenty-three million pounds of toxins ...