Sign the Petition!
Petition to Stop the Proposed Alabo Street Wharf Grain Terminal in the Lower Ninth Ward
We, the undersigned residents and allies of the Lower Ninth Ward, oppose the proposed Port of New Orleans and Sunrise Foods International grain terminal development at the old Alabo Street Wharf and the recommissioning and expansion of associated Norfolk Southern freight lines. This project threatens our historic community’s health, safety, and quality of life.
Why We Must Act Together
● Industrial Environmental Hazards: The proposed grain terminal will introduce hazardous grain dust, pesticides, and diesel emissions into our neighborhood. This pollution can aggravate asthma, allergies, and other respiratory issues. The grain terminal also brings serious risks of grain dust explosions in the heart of a historic residential neighborhood. The Lower Ninth Ward has endured more than its share of hardship. We must stand up and stand together to oppose development that threatens our health and wellbeing.
● Noise and Traffic Problems: The grain terminal will bring constant noise from ship traffic, freight trains, trucks, and machinery operating around the clock. Train traffic alone will further disrupt already challenging traffic along St. Claude. This disruption will worsen our daily lives, decrease property values, make our streets less safe for families, and increase response times for emergency vehicles.
● Loss of Green Space and Community Resources: The development will seize precious land that is among the few green spaces in the Lower Ninth Ward, and it will effectively cut off the green levee corridor that connects Orleans and St. Bernard Parishes. We need spaces that support our community, not industrial developments that profit corporations at the community’s expense.
● Damage to Levee Integrity: We are concerned train tracks on the levee risk compromising its structural integrity. Any damage to the levee could increase the likelihood of catastrophic flooding in a neighborhood already vulnerable to storms and hurricanes.
● Communities Kept in the Dark: The Port of New Orleans has given the absolute minimum required notice on this project and made no effort to engage the neighborhood in good faith communication. Now that we are aware of the project, they claim that because the lease has been signed their hands are tied. We know that this is not true, and we reject the idea that the Port of New Orleans can avoid the process of public discussion and comment while engaging in negotiations that will negatively affect our peace, safety, property values, and historic community.
What We Demand
As residents of the Lower Ninth Ward, we call on Mayor Cantrell and the City Council, the Port of New Orleans, the Flood Protection Authority (formerly the Orleans Levee Board) and the Army Corp of Engineers to:
● Cancel the grain terminal lease with Sunrise Foods International and protect our historic neighborhood from invasive industrial development.
● Engage the neighborhood and broader Lower Ninth Ward community in meaningful dialogue on this and any future Port of New Orleans lease of the Alabo Street Wharf. This must include public hearings which are announced in a timely and accessible manner and which allow for dialogue between neighborhood residents, the Port of New Orleans, Norfolk Southern, Sunrise Foods International, and any other entities involved in the construction and leasing of the Alabo Street Wharf or other Port properties in the area.
● Conduct a transparent and comprehensive independent impact study of the environmental and community impacts for this or any future Port of New Orleans lease of the Alabo Street Wharf. This study must prioritize community health and safety.
● Invest in projects that benefit residents, such as green infrastructure, affordable housing, and economic opportunities that benefit the local community.
● Adhere to the process of notice, comment and public hearing that should apply to this and any proposed Port of New Orleans projects going forward. Specifically, we ask the Army Corp to issue no further General permits for projects involving the Alabo Street or other Wharfs in the Lower Ninth Ward and ensure that all permits issued are Individual Permits requiring public notice and allowing for public comment
Join the Fight to Protect the Lower Ninth Ward
The Lower Ninth Ward is more than a place—it is our home, our history, and our community. Together, we can stand up to this harmful development and demand a future that respects our neighborhood and its residents.
Sign this petition today to protect the Lower Ninth Ward from pollution, noise, and the loss of green space. Let’s work together to ensure our voices are heard!
Thanks for standing up against this threat to the community! Please consider whether you may also be able to make a financial donation or volunteer some of your time to this effort.