(San Francisco, CA) The prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize for the North American continent was awarded to the first time to an African American woman for her struggle with the Shell corporation for environmental justice for her Louisiana community and other communities living on the fenceline the oil giants global facilities. Margie Eugene Richard of the Diamond community of Norco, Louisiana, has won the 2004 Goldman Prize after working for over 20 years to win a fair and just relocation of 300 families living in the toxic shadow of a Shell chemical and refinery complex.

"This is a great victory for every community living along the fenceline of toxic industrial facilities seeking respect and justice," said Margie Eugene Richard, past president of the Concerned Citizens of Norco, Louisiana. "It sends a message to other Shell neighbors in Port Arthur, Texas; Durban, South Africa; Manila, the Philippines, Nigeria and elsewhere that they can affirm their basic human rights."

Margie Eugene Richard and the Concerned Citizens of Norco, Louisiana, were one of the first groups outside of California to use a community-based air testing program, known as the bucket brigade, which was popularized by Denny Larson, who now directs the Global Community Monitor (GCM). Larson assisted Ms. Richard in taking the first test for Shell's toxic air contaminants in the Diamond community on December 8, 1998, after the Shell Chemical plant had two upsets resulting in widespread health complaints. Shell claimed that no hazardous chemicals were released, but bucket air tests showed one of the chemicals involved was present in the highest concentrations of any tested for.

Ms. Richards and the Concerned Citizens of Norco continued to work with Larson, the Delta Chapter of the Sierra Club and others to take air tests over the next year to show high levels of chemicals were drifting from Shell into their community. Eventually a new statewide group, the Louisiana Bucket Brigade, was formed to assist the Concerned Citizens of Norco and other groups in similar air testing efforts. GCM and its Refinery Reform Campaign project have helped over 50 communities worldwide establish bucket brigade air testing campaigns.

"It is an honor to be working with Margie and her community because they have been a beacon for many other fenceline neighbors who simplywant their human right to clean air," said Denny Larson, Director of GCM. "This award will give hope to every other community organizing to win environmental health and justice."

Ms. Richard and many other Shell neighborhood groups around the world have joined an alliance to hold the oil giant accountable for toxic threats to nearby communities. Ms. Richards and other fenceline neighbors became Shell shareholders last year and traveled the annual shareholder meeting in London with the help of Friends of the Earth (UK). The groups published their own shareholder report and launched a website to hold Shell accountable to its "green" principles at www.shellfacts.com. Ms. Richards and the global alliance will publish an updated Shell shareholder report this year and attend their June 28, 2004 annual meeting.

Many people and organizations came to the aid of Ms. Richards and the Concerned Citizens of Norco during their decades long struggle to be moved away from Shell's pollution including Wilma Subra (MacArthur Genius Award Scientist), Deep South Center for Environmental Justice, Damu Smith and the African American Environmental Justice Network, Congresswoman Maxine Waters and members of the Congressional Black Caucus, the Environmental Health Fund, Maura Wood and the Delta Chapter of the Sierra Club, Monique Harden and Natalie Walker of Advocates for Environmental Human Rights, the Community In-power and Development Association of Port Arthur, Texas, other community groups in Cancer Alley, Greenpeace and environmental health foundations led by Michael Lerner of Commonweal of Bolinas, California.