In 1994, residents of St. Gabriel fought and won a campaign for incorporation, demonstrating what's possible when African-American communities have a stronger say in the political process.
In 1993, residents in St. Gabriel, Louisiana, a primarily African-American community, recognized that their interests weren't being well represented in local government. At the time, about 105 pounds of air pollution and other toxic materials were being released in Louisiana for every person in the state. But in San Gabriel, the rate was three times higher according to a study by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
A major cause of the pollution experienced by St. Gabriel families was the placement of petrochemical facilities within close proximity to the community. However, decisions about land use weren't made in St. Gabriel, they were made a 40-minute drive away in Plaquemine, the government seat of Iberville Parish. Many St. Gabriel residents felt that parish officials from the wealthier West Bank were allowing the petrochemical industry to more heavily pollute the East Bank, an area that was mostly black and poor. Moreover, a 1994 parish analysis showed that St. Gabriel, thanks to taxes generated from industrial activity, was contributing 40% to to the Iberville Parish budget but was getting only 6% of the spending.
When Supplemental Fuels, Inc. submitted a 1993 proposal for a hazardous waste facility in St. Gabriel, residents decided enough was enough. According to a prior statement from Hazel Schexnayder, then a member of the Iberville Parish School Board, "That got us together. We had to show them we mean business." Some residents of St. Gabriel began a campaign to incorporate St. Gabriel. In August 1994, the vote for incorporation passed by a 3-1 margin. The newly incorporated town became the Louisiana's sixth largest city by area.
"That got us together. We had to show them we mean business."
Incorporation has allowed St. Gabriel leaders to decide whether a property is zoned for industrial purposes and, thereby, what can be built. No large plants have been approved within St. Gabriel's border since incorporation. As Schexnayder said, "When companies come in here with a new plant, all we have to do is go to meetings and say, 'We don't want that here." The city's elected officials also better reflect its large African-American population and many officials are long-time residents of St. Gabriel. As a result, the interests of St. Gabriel's public officials align with those of its residents.
Unfortunately, other areas have had difficulty replicating St. Gabriel's efforts. Lobbyists persuaded state lawmakers to bar new municipalities from taking in industrial areas. 11 petrochemical companies also successfully fought incorporation efforts with court injunctions.
For more detailed information about how pollution has impacted St. Gabriel and other areas of Louisiana, access this article.
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