Collection:LPB

Genre: Newsmagazine

Place Covered: Convent, St. James Parish, Louisiana

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 1997-07-04

Duration: 00:36:41

Subjects: Environment | African Americans | Chemical industry | Environmental justice

Contributors:

• Chapa, Arcie Host
• Guidry, John Speaker
• Melancon, Pat Interviewee
• Givens, Dale Interviewee
• Delmore, Yvonne Interviewee
• Kennard, Anna Interviewee
• Bolding, Lillie Interviewee
• Hall, Alex Interviewee
• Maddie, Gladys Interviewee
• Dickerson, Janice Speaker
• Foster, Mike Interviewee
• Keuhn, Bob Interviewee
• Lavie, Lisa Interviewee
• Hymel, Dale Interviewee
• Templet, Paul Interviewee
• Reilly, Kevin Interviewee
• Mason, Dick Interviewee
• LeBlanc, Christopher Interviewee
• Maddie, Tharrin Interviewee
• Wize, David Interviewee

This episode of the series “Louisiana: The State We’re In” from July 4, 1997, features Arcie Chapa’s special report on the controversy surrounding Shintech’s plan to build a $700 million chemical plant to produce polyvinyl chloride in the town of Convent in St. James Parish near a poor African American community. Chapa reports that a community group called the St. James Parish Citizens for Jobs and the Environment is challenging the plant as a test case for President Bill Clinton’s executive order on environmental justice. She also reports that the Environmental Protection Agency has designated Convent as an environmental justice community. Her report includes comments by and interviews with: State Senator John Guidry; Pat Melancon, St. James Parish resident and community activist opposing the plant; Secretary Dale Givens of the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ); Yvonne Delmore, resident; Anna Kennard, resident; Lillie Bolding, resident; Alex Hall, resident; Gladys Maddie, resident; Janice Dickerson, DEQ community relations specialist; Governor Mike Foster; Bob Kuehn, director of the Tulane Environmental Law Clinic; Lisa Lavie, Tulane Law Clinic attorney; St. James Parish President Dale Hymel; Dr. Paul Templet, former DEQ secretary and chair of the LSU Institute for Environmental Studies; Secretary Kevin Reilly of the Louisiana Department of Economic Development; Dick Mason, Shintech controller; Christopher LeBlanc, resident; Tharrin Maddie, resident; and David Wize, Shintech project manager.