A federal judge has allowed Black residents of a Louisiana parish to pursue their lawsuit seeking a moratorium on industrial plants in their communities.
In an order issued Monday, Senior Judge Carl Barbier of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana rejected a motion from St. James Parish, located in a southeastern section of the Bayou State dubbed “Cancer Alley” for its concentration of petrochemical plants and refineries, that sought to dismiss the case.
Barbier allowed the residents to move forward with all their claims against the parish, including allegations that its land use practices run afoul of the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery.
“Today’s ruling is a historic step toward justice for the people of St. James Parish,” said Gail LeBoeuf and Barbara Washington, founders of the advocacy group Inclusive Louisiana, in a joint statement after Barbier’s order. “For generations, our community has lived under a racist land use system that placed polluting industries in our backyards while ignoring our health, history, and human rights.”
