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Dear Editor,

We write in response to the Feb. 26 opinion piece written by Greenfield’s publicity team, “A Holistic Vision: Greenfield Louisiana’s Health Equity Commitment for Wallace.” The headline is misleading. For Greenfield to lift up its efforts in celebration of Black History Month is insulting and an affront to our ancestors who were enslaved in area plantations.

The reality is that if the proposed Greenfield terminal is constructed in St. John the Baptist Parish, its sheer size, alongside its outsized pollution, noise and placement alongside homes, historic plantations and slave burial grounds—would pose an undue burden on the surrounding, majority-Black community—the very definition of environmental racism.

In fact, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has determined that the terminal—which would reach the height of the Statue of Liberty and consist of more than 50 grain silos—would adversely impact historic land. It would also displace Black landowners and damage our community’s health for profit.

The letter fails to mention the more than 100 tons of pollution that the terminal would emit, the pollution from the projected 30,000 trucks a year, and pollution from the accompanying dock that will receive ships too large to fit into the Panama Canal. Already our community experiences cancer risks higher than 95% of the country and asthma rates that are among the highest in the state.

Any funds that Greenfield would donate to support health care would pale in comparison to the irrevocable damage the terminal would cause to our health and the livability of our community, not to mention the $200 million in tax exemptions Greenfield would receive.

We owe it to residents of today and tomorrow to ensure we achieve a better future by rejecting Greenfield’s false promises. We call on local, state and federal leaders to do the right thing and reject Greenfield’s plans, and for Greenfield to be honest with residents about its true intentions.

Sincerely,

Dr. Joy Banner and Jo Banner, residents of Wallace and co-founders of The Descendants Project