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The Progressive

NewsWire

A project of Common Dreams

For Immediate Release
Contact:

Ellen Sciales, press@sunrisemovement.org

Sunrise and RISE St. James Rally to Demand Biden Stand Up to Environmental Racism, Revoke Formosa Plastics Permit and Give Good Jobs to All

On Monday, Sunrise Movement marchers as part of "Generation on Fire" staged an action with local partner RISE St.

WASHINGTON

On Monday, Sunrise Movement marchers as part of "Generation on Fire" staged an action with local partner RISE St. James to demand President Joe Biden revoke the permit for Formosa Plastics, a petrochemical factory expected to be built in Cancer Alley - the industrial stretch in Louisiana known for its abundance of petroleum plants and high number of cancer cases.

"This is the epitome of environmental racism: Formosa Plastics is building a toxic, potentially fatal factory in a predominantly black and poor community. Biden was elected on a climate mandate rooted in racial and environmental justice, and we demand he fulfill his campaign promise by directing the Army Corps to revoke the federal permits on this plant," said Varshini Prakash, co-founder and Executive Director of Sunrise Movement. "Biden must think of the families in Cancer Alley who have already endured years of anguish on their bodies and of sorrow as they watched their loved ones succumb to cancer. With just the flick of a pen he has a chance to give these people a breath and help them avoid future suffering. And with a robust Civilian Climate Corps, he can give them hope of a better life and allow them to revitalize their communities."

"We deserve better. We deserve to live. We deserve clean air, clean water, and clean soil. We deserve to have our lives back, the ones we had before industry came in," said Ms. Sharon Lavigne, Founder, President and Executive Director of the Stop Formosa Coalition.

Sunrise members staged a rally accompanied by a visioning session with the community to call on President Biden to stop this blatant environmental and racial injustice. This is also part of Sunrise's pressure campaign on Biden to strengthen his infrastructure package to include a robust Civilian Climate Corps (CCC). The inclusion of Sen. Markey and Rep. Ocasio Cortez's CCC could serve as an alternative to this toxic project, and would be a life changing opportunity for the communities of Cancer Alley.

Sunrise Movement is a movement to stop climate change and create millions of good jobs in the process.