Contact Your Representatives!
Getting in touch with your local and state elected officials is a direct, effective way each one of us can contribute to stopping Sunrise Foods International’s plans to build a grain terminal at the Alabo Street Wharf in the Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans.
Can contacting elected officials really make a difference? Yes! A large number of people calling on a regular basis can drive representatives to take note and take action. After all, we are their constituents, and we vote!
We cannot let this project move forward. Now is the time to act, speak out, and protect our neighborhood. Here’s how you can help:
1. Call Your Representatives
Make your voice heard by calling the offices below. Be kind, respectful, and clear about the dangers this grain terminal brings to our community.
- Councilman Oliver Thomas’s Office: 504-658-1050
- State Representative Candace Newell: 504-240-3435
- State Senator Joseph Bouie Jr.: 504-286-1033
- Port NOLA Community Engagement: 504-528-3227
Talking Points When Calling:
- Start with Your Story: Share how this project impacts you and your family.
- Public Safety: Explain the risks posed by trains running dangerously close to homes and blocking emergency services.
- Environmental Concerns: Highlight the health hazards of grain dust (which can be explosive), diesel fumes, and loss of green space.
- Property Values and Quality of Life: Stress the air and noise pollution, vibrations, and inevitable decline of property values and neighborhood quality.
- Cultural Heritage: Emphasize preserving the historic and close-knit nature of Arabi, Holy Cross, and the Lower 9th Ward.
- Call to Action: Ask the representative to protect our community and stop this harmful project.
Set a reminder to call or email twice a week until progress is made!
2. Email Your Representatives
You can use the sample email below as a template to contact your representatives. Personalize it with your own story and concerns.
If you live in the neighborhood:
- Councilman Oliver Thomas: Oliver.Thomas@nola.gov
- Oliver Thomas’s Director of Community Engagement: Darren.Martin@nola.gov
- State Representative Candace Newell: hse099@legis.la.gov
- State Senator Joseph Bouie Jr.: bouiej@legis.la.gov
If you are a supporter outside the neighborhood:
Find your legislators here or use the NOLA City Council Directory.
Sample Email:
Subject: Stand With Us: Oppose the Sunrise Foods Grain Terminal Project
Dear [Representative’s Name],
My name is [Your Name], and I am [a resident of the Lower 9th Ward/Holy Cross/Arabi, a concerned citizen, etc.]. [Briefly add your connection to the area, e.g., “I’ve lived in this community for [X years]” or “I care deeply about protecting our neighborhood’s health, safety, and economic future.”]
I urge you to oppose the proposed Sunrise Foods grain terminal and rail line expansion through Arabi, Holy Cross, and the Lower 9th Ward. This project poses significant risks to our community’s safety, health, and well-being, while providing no meaningful benefits—only 10 jobs, with no guarantee they’ll go to local workers.
Key Concerns:
- Rail Safety Hazards: Freight trains will pass just 10-15 feet from homes, disrupting daily life, blocking emergency services, and endangering children and pedestrians.
- Environmental and Health Risks: Grain dust and diesel fumes threaten respiratory health, and green space will be lost.
- Community Displacement and Economic Harm: The project will devalue homes, displace families, and fracture our community.
- Broader Implications: Approving this sets a precedent for industrial developments in residential neighborhoods, prioritizing corporate profits over community well-being.
Our neighborhood deserves better than to be treated as a sacrifice zone for corporate gain. I hope we can count on your leadership to stand with our community and protect the future of [New Orleans/Holy Cross/the Lower 9th Ward/Arabi, etc.].
Thank you for your time and attention. I look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Your Email Address]
[Your Phone Number]
3. Spread the Word
Share this page with friends, family, and neighbors. Every voice matters in this fight!
In addition to contacting your representatives, consider whether you’re able to support us by making a financial donation toward legal fees associated with this effort, signing our petition, or volunteering some of your time and skills to help protect our community.