Air News Archives

Today, DEQ hosted the Environmental Leadership Awards. DEQ Secretary Peggy Hatch was joined by Senator Mike Walsworth, chair, Senate Environmental Quality Committee and Representative Gordon Dove, chair, House Natural Resources and Environmental Committee, to recognize environmental achievements at the 2013 ceremony. New and existing members of ELP were commended for their voluntary pollution prevention efforts and community environmental outreach initiatives. The ceremony highlighted projects that went above and beyond regulatory compliance to substantially improve the quality of the environment. In 2013, the ELP enrolled 26 new members.

The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality has partnered with the Information Exchange Workgroup. The Information Exchange Workgroup is a collaboration of Louisiana's petroleum refining and chemical manufacturing industries, which was formed to provide information on environmental protection, identify the most common causes of upsets and malfunctions and provide expertise from industry leaders on efficiency measures. The workgroup also facilitates the identification and sharing of best management practices and other strategies to minimize emissions.

This year, more than ever, it is important for citizens and businesses to be aware of the air quality. The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency has lowered the standards for many criteria air pollutants which makes areas that have had excellent air quality in the past much closer to being out of attainment with federal standards.

The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality and the Baton Rouge Clean Air Coalition are seeking input from the public on air quality strategies to reduce ozone formation and maintain attainment with the national standards. DEQ has created a statewide survey that allows the public to make suggestions on how improve air quality in their own geographic are.

On Jan. 11-12, the Department of Environmental Quality used its Mobile Air Monitoring Laboratory to conduct additional air sampling in St. Bernard Parish. This effort was undertaken because the Chalmette Vista air monitor site has shown levels of SO2 above the new National Ambient Air Quality Standard of 75 parts per billion and as a result of recent odor complaints.

The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality has deployed its Mobile Air Monitoring Laboratory and other resources to the Chalmette area in St. Bernard Parish in response to odor concerns that began yesterday evening.

A Sulphur man pled guilty Monday to one felony count of illegally disposing a substance that could endanger human health.

Registration for the Louisiana Envirothon environmental competition to be held, March 9 at the LSU Ag Center Burden Center in Baton Rouge, is now open.