For Citizens Archives

The departments of Environmental Quality and Natural Resources have reviewed Crosstex Entergy Services' updated risk management plan for its storage cavern in Assumption Parish. Both agencies agree with Crosstex's calculations that the cavern poses little-to-no threat to the population near where a slurry hole appeared in early August.

Scientists from the Department of Environmental Quality will be in and around a slurry hole near Bayou Corne in Assumption Parish today to sample for naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM). Because the location of the slurry hole is in the proximity of areas that had been previously used for oil and gas exploration, there is the possibility for low levels of NORM to be present. The location of the sampling is remote and not in a populated area. However, out of an abundance of caution, and to gather more information, DEQ Secretary Peggy Hatch is requiring certified scientists to develop and execute a sampling plan that includes soil and water samples for NORM to verify there are no health risks.

The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality will present a free asbestos and lead workshop on May 23. The purpose of the workshop is to provide a summary of the rule revisions of the asbestos regulations, an overview any new lead-based paint activities revisions if they are still being considered by the legislature and issues encountered by DEQ staff this past year. Guest speaker, Glenn Gomes, M.D., will talk about the medical consequences of asbestos exposure. There will be a question-and-answer period. This workshop is open to the public.

Today, representatives from the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, as well as other state and local officials, participated in a ribbon cutting ceremony at the St. Landry Parish landfill to commemorate the opening of its landfill gas fueling station. The event was hosted by the St. Landry Parish Solid Waste Disposal District.

Gov. Bobby Jindal has declared May as Air Quality Awareness Month in Louisiana. May is traditionally the start of ozone season and the proclamation was made to encourage citizens to become familiar with the Air Quality Index, to understand what causes ozone formation and to take voluntary steps to help prevent the formation and improve air quality.

The American Lung Association's State of the Air report was released today and demonstrates the improvement in air quality throughout Louisiana. Several cities were listed as cleanest in the nation for particle pollution, known as PM 2.5, with Monroe-Bastrop listed as one of the top seven cleanest cities in the nation for PM 2.5 and ozone combined.