Trucks roll into the Gentilly Landfill, one of the only places still accepting debris in New Orleans, Aug. 15. Another landfill, Chef Menteur Landfill, run by Waste Management, was closed Aug. 14 by order of New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin. Mayor Nagin ordered waste haulers to stop depositing debris in the controversial landfill opened after Hurricane Katrina. Photo: AP/World Wide Photos
Most of us fondly remember the story of “The Little Engine That Could.” You may recall that, while going up a very steep hill the little engine said over and over again, “I think I can, I think I can,” and kept chugging away. Finally, after all the affirmations and chugging the little engine went over the hill. What the little engine affirmed and worked for became true.
Recently in New Orleans, a unified community affirmed, believed and collectively worked on climbing a steep hill of injustice, closing the Chef Menteur Landfill site. New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin agreed that the city would close the potentially health threatening hazardous landfill on Aug. 14. The community believed they could do it and they did. Maybe, all things are possible to them that believe.
The Chef Menteur Landfill, which one of my French-speaking colleagues told me translates to “Chief Liar,” is located within the city limits on a previous wetland site, approximately one mile from Our Lady Queen Vietnam Church and adjacent to one of the nation’s largest wildlife preserves.
Dr. John Pardue, director of the Louisiana Resources Research Institute at Louisiana State University, published in a white paper that three important environmental issues were present at the site: “the deposition of household hazardous waste in unlined landfills; the hydrogen sulfide gas problem from the deposition of gypsum wallboard; and the leaching of arsenics from treated lumber.” These issues, if left unattended, could possibly inflict major environmental damage to the New Orleans East community. Even more potentially devastating was a plan to dig a 30-foot deep pit, which would have posed a direct threat to contaminating the water table for the area. In other words, New Orleans East residents should not breathe the air nor drink the water. Wouldn’t that motivate you to return home?
Thankfully, and to his credit, Mayor Nagin listened to the voice of a unified community and took action. Through a joint effort, members of Mary Queen of Vietnam Catholic Church, St. Paul’s Catholic Church, All Congregations Together, Citizens for a Strong New Orleans East, Louisiana Environmental Action Network, Sierra Club, Asian American Justice Center, Southern Christian Leadership Conference and many other organizations chugged up the hill of injustice together. They affirmed all the way that they could make a difference if they just stayed on board, believed and worked together. And look at the results.
The next hill to climb, according to a PICO National Network release, will be that: “All Congregations Together and its partners are (a) pressing the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality to completely end consideration of the site landfill; (b) asking city and state officials to work with the community to develop a comprehensive debris management strategy; and (c) requesting congressional hearing on debris management post-Katrina.” I personally think they can do it. I think they can do it. I think they can do it.
Maybe, there is a lesson in it for all of us. All aboard!
(Carl Wallace is the executive associate for the Justice and Witness Ministries of the national organization of the United Church of Christ, which is based in Cleveland, Ohio.)
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