Land News Archives

DEQ Secretary Peggy Hatch announced today that DEQ has awarded a contract to close the Harrelson Landfill on Russell Road in Shreveport to Murphy Brothers Trucking and Construction, LLC of Acadia, La. The landfill will be closed by placing a two foot thick layer of clay and six-inch layer of topsoil over the entire disposal area. The disposal area will then be seeded and fertilized to return the site to a more natural appearance. Following closure, the final cover will be monitored for erosion and other potential problems for a minimum of three years.

The 2015 Louisiana Envirothon Environmental Competition was held March 14 at the LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens in Baton Rouge. Five teams from grades 9 through 12 participated in an environmental problem solving competition that consisted of testing in aquatics, forestry, soils, wildlife, the current issue on Urban and Community Forestry and an oral presentation.

Today, DEQ hosted the Environmental Leadership Awards at the DEQ headquarters in the Galvez building in downtown Baton Rouge. DEQ Secretary Peggy Hatch was joined by Sen. Mike Walsworth, chair, Senate Environmental Quality Committee, and Rep. Gordon Dove, chair, House Natural Resources and Environment Committee, to recognize environmental achievements. Members of ELP were commended for their voluntary pollution prevention efforts, community environmental outreach initiatives, and environmental management systems that went above and beyond regulatory compliance to improve the environment

The meeting will be held in compliance with Louisiana Open Meetings Law as defined by Louisiana R.S. 42:11, et seq. The public is invited to attend. For inquiries about the meeting please contact Robert Thomas at 225-219-3972 or Robert.Thomas@la.gov.

A Zachary man was sentenced Wednesday, Feb. 4, in the 18th Judicial District Court for violating Louisiana's Environmental Quality Act. Leon Wallace, 58, of 23291 Plank Road, Zachary, illegally dumped gasoline and diesel fuel behind a Port Allen video poker casino in January 2013.

An Orleans Parish man pleaded guilty and was sentenced Wednesday, Feb. 4, in the Orleans Parish Criminal District Court for violating Louisiana's Environmental Quality Act. Michele A. Morris, 54, of Algiers, illegally dumped solid waste near 178 Woodland Parkway in Algiers in January 2013.

Today, DEQ Secretary Peggy Hatch and Louisiana National Guard Adjutant Maj. Gen. Glenn Curtis called on the EPA to fulfill its obligation to Louisiana residents and safely dispose of M6 explosives at Camp Minden. In a letter today, Hatch and Curtis called on EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy to "intervene to address the persistent mishandling of M6 disposal at Camp Minden by EPA Region 6."

Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Secretary Peggy Hatch named Chance McNeely assistant secretary for environmental compliance, a recently vacated unclassified position, effective Jan. 12. McNeely was previously a policy advisor in the Office of the Governor where he served as a liaison to DEQ.