ST. JAMES, La. (Louisiana First) — Nearly every seat was filled at Shekinah Glory Christian Fellowship Church in St. James on Wednesday. The hymns, sermons and talk of good versus evil were typical of every church service across the state, but the featured guest speaker and calls to action were unique.

St. James is located in Cancer Alley, an 85-mile stretch along the Mississippi River where more than 200 chemical plants dot the land. A Human Rights Watch investigation summarized what academics, scientists and experts from across the world have identified for decades: the thousands of people living there are exposed to significantly higher health risks from pollutants.

Investigators report nearly every census tract ranks in the top 5% nationally for cancer risk and in the top 10% for res

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