PVC/dioxin conference in Lake Charles, Registration for

[ttweed@wildrockies.org (Tony Tweedale)]

Forwarded from CLEAN in Lake Charles, Louisiana:

=========================================================
Dear friends, colleagues, comrades and neighbors;

We are hosting a series of workshops on dioxin this September and
hope you will attend and participate.

Please distribute the enclosed flier widely.  It is our
goal to bring as many anti-dioxin community activists together as we
possibly can to plot the sunset of dioxin.

Thank you for your time, effort and energy:
The CLEAN Board of Directors

DIOXIN, HUMAN HEALTH AND PVC:  THE LAKE CHARLES EXAMPLE  A series of
workshops to educate, motivate and activate citizen activists
fighting against dioxin contamination

FRIDAY, SEPT. 11 - SUNDAY, SEPT. 13, 1998
LAKE CHARLES, LOUISIANA

If you are fighting dioxin and/or other endocrine disrupting
chemicals, one source has been virtually ignored by EPA and other
regulators: the vinyl industry.  Lake Charles, Louisiana is home to
more vinyl production than any other city in the United States.
This is the best place to learn about the contribution the vinyl
industry makes to the nation's dioxin burden.

The vinyl industry has targetted two Louisiana communities to expand
their US production of the dioxin-producing plastic: Lake Charles
and Convent, Louisiana.  Now is the time to organize and resist the
expansion of this toxic industry.  Folks attending these workshops
will learn about what's happening and be asked to participate.  The
agenda is designed to create strategies to stop the expansion of the
vinyl industry and protect communities from the dioxin produced by
currently operating facilities.  Please come and share your
knowledge,experience and energy.

There will be a limited amount of scholarships available.  Emphasis
will be placed on bringing in activists fighting the vinyl industry
and its subsidiaries from across the region and the country.  Please
let us know if you are interested in attending, if you would like to
apply for a scholarship and if you would like to help organize the
event.  Our address is:

CLEAN
1607 Griffith Street
Lake Charles, Louisiana 70601
(318)433-0222
e-mail:cleannow@yahoo.com

Dioxin, Human Health and PVC - Lake Charles Workshop Agenda

Friday, September 11 - Afternoon Toxic Tour of Lake
Charles with Welcoming Reception to Follow

Saturday, September 12 - Dioxin and Endocrine

Disrupting Chemicals 101: A basic Lesson
and discussion on the formation, chemistry,
distribution and sources of  human contact.

What are the sources of dioxin in Lake Charles.

What Are the Human and Ecological Health Impacts
of  Dioxin and Endocrine  Disrupting Chemicals

How Have Communties Across the  Country Are Fighting Against the
Vinyl Industry and Winning.   Strategies That  Succeeded and Lessons
Learned.

Small Group Strategy Development Session, Part I

Bar-b-Que and Music Into the Night Louisiana Style

Sunday, September 13

What is the Future of Dioxin

Producing Industries:
Economics, Alternatives and the  Industry's Public Relations
Campaign

A Lunch Discussion of three Current Louisiana Dioxin Battles:
Organizing  Strategies, Hooks and Tools to  Frame the Issues and
Victories  Along the Way.  The fight to stopShintech and Westlake
Vinyl Corporation from building  two new vinyl factories will be
featured.

How a Community Organizes to Stop Dioxin Sources from Poisoning
Their Families,  Strategy Development Part II

Confirmed Participants Include:

Dr. Paul Connett, Professor of Chemistry, St. Lawrence University

Dr. Beverly Wright, Director of the Deep South Center for
Environmental Justice at Xavier University

Pat Costner, Senior Scientist with Greenpeace International

Charlie Cray, Greenpeace US Toxics Campaign

Dr. Marvin Legator, Director of the Toxics Assistance Project at the
University of  Texas Medical Branchin Galveston

Dr. Patricia Williams, Director of Occupational Toxicology Outreach
Program at the Louisiana State University Medical Center, Shreveport
Department of Medicine

Ray Reynolds, Chairperson for the Condea-Vista Group of  the Oil,
Chemical and Atomic Workers Union Local 4-555

Dr. David Rosner, Co-Director Columbia University Progam in the
History of  Public Health and Medicine

Other renowned community activists and dioxin experts have also been
invited.

Members of the Planning Committee include:

Paul Ringo - Louisiana Environmental Action Network
(318)436-3780

Jerome Summers - member of the Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers
Union Health and Safety Team  (318)855-7212

Monique Harden - Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund
(504)522-1394

Mike Tritico - Restore Explicit Symmetry to Our Ravaged Earth,
RESTORE  (318)725-3690

Alicia Lyttle - Tulane Environmental Law Clinic
(504)865-5787

Jerald White - New Orleans Mayor's Office of Environmental Affairs
(504)565-8115

Ernie Colonna - Lake Charles activist
(318)479-2045

Beth Zilbert - Calcasieu League for Environmental Action Now, CLEAN
(318)433-0222

Marlene Ross, Mossville Environmental Action Now!, MEAN!
(318)882-6892

Peggy Sullivan, CLEAN Board Member
(318)583-9787

DIOXIN, HUMAN HEALTH AND THE LAKE CHARLES EXAMPLE
WORKSHOP REGISTRATION FORM PLEASE RETURN TO ADDRESS LISTED BELOW NO
LATER THAN AUGUST 28, 1998

 ______YES I WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND THE DIOXIN, HUMAN HEALTH AND THE
LAKE  CHARLES EXAMPLE WORKSHOP FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11 - SUNDAY,
SEPTEMBER 13, 1998.

NAME:


ORGANIZATION REPRESENTING:


 ADDRESS:



 PHONE NUMBER:

 FAX NUMBER:

 E-MAIL ADDRESS:


  _____I AM ENCLOSING A TAX-DEDUCTABLE CONTRIBUTION TO CLEAN IN THE
 AMOUNT OF _____ TO COVER COPYING AND MAILING EXPENSES.

 _____I WILL NEED A SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION FORM.  WITHOUT
SCHOLARSHIP MONEY TO COVER MY TRAVEL COSTS I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO
ATTEND.  YOU MUST HAVE THIS REQUEST IN BY AUGUST 15, 1998 IF YOU NEED
A SCHOLARSHIP.
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