Information & Records FAQs

To request public records, use either the online request form or the paper form at DEQ Form ISD-0005-01. Your request should include your name, mailing address, telephone number, email address, and the description of records you wish to receive with as many details as possible to help identify what you are seeking. The more information you provide to us, the easier it is for the Agency to respond to your request quickly and accurately. We can provide records in paper or CD format, and often electronically, depending on the request. For further viewing information, you can also view our CD Requests Fact Sheet. You can choose to view the records in person, pick them up at DEQ, have copies or CDs made and mailed to you, have copies made and faxed to you, or, for some requests, have documents sent to you electronically. Some options involve special provisions. For example, we can fax records but only if they total less than 20 pages. Also, copies may be sent via Federal Express if you provide us with your FedEx number. Paper request forms may be submitted via mail, fax, or in person. Contact information for submitting the request is contained on the form.

There is no charge to complete the Public Records Request Form and many requests do not incur any costs, especially those that are delivered electronically. However, in accordance with LAC 33:I.23, specific copy fees apply -- 25 cents per page for single-sided copies and 50 cents per page for double-sided copies. You may also request your copies on a CD. If you believe that you qualify for reduced rate or free copies, you may fill out the Free or Reduced Rate Copy Fee Certification Form and email it to us at publicrecords@la.gov or send it by mail or fax. To determine if you are eligible to receive free or reduced copy fees, review the form (DEQ Form ISD-0005-02) online. We will contact you about the status of your request within three business days of receiving it. If you have submitted an online request form, you will receive a confirmation e-mail and number once it has been received by Records Management staff. You will receive a Notice of Estimated Costs once the documents have been found. Checks or money orders are accepted for all charges. At this time we do not accept credit card payments.

Topic files are DEQ records that are not associated with a particular facility regulated by DEQ. Examples of documents in the Topic File collection include federal, state, parish, and municipal documents; reports from consultants and nonprofit agencies; university studies; and correspondence from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). To access topic files, go to http://edms.deq.louisiana.gov, click the Lookup AI link, and search for the word "topic" in the AI Name field.

The SCC was the first regulatory commission dealing with water in Louisiana. It was active in 1940-1979. There is a typed transcript for each SCC meeting during the 1970s which lists each facility discussed at that meeting. In most cases, the regulations are contained within the proceedings themselves. All known SCC records are available in the EDMS under Agency Interest (AI) 168766. Contact publicrecords@la.gov for assistance.

Our hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM (CST).

Phone: 225.219.LDEQ (5337)
Toll free: 866.896.LDEQ (5337)
E-mail: _DEQ-CustomerServiceCenter@la.gov
Your questions about environmental issues, the agency’s services and programs, state environmental regulations, recycling, permits, and others will be answered promptly, usually within one business day with an e-mail response.

The Customer Service Center (CSC) provides telephone and electronic reference services for DEQ. CSC Specialists will promptly and accurately answer questions about DEQ and its programs or find someone within the Agency who can answer your question. Your Customer Service specialist will stay on the line with you until you get the answer you need.

While our primary focus is to answer questions pertaining to the Agency and environmental issues, we will try to assist callers who need information which is outside of DEQ’s official functions. This may involve an informed referral to another government agency.