Land News Archives

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.

In May, the Enviroschool program of the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality is offering free workshops on Permits 101: Understanding the Basics. This workshop will give participants an understanding of what permits are, the different types of permits and the permitting process within each media - air, water and waste.

St. Charles, St. James and St. John parishes are holding a Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day, Saturday, April 14, at two locations. In Destrehan, residents can drop off their waste at Jerusalem Shriners Hall, 1940 Ormond Boulevard, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and in Laplace, Plaza Laplace Shopping Center, 1921 Airline Hwy (New Wine Ministries parking lot) from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. All residents of those parishes are invited to bring household hazardous waste to either location so the waste can be disposed of properly.

The Greater Baton Rouge Household Hazardous Materials Collection Day and Paint Swap was held on Saturday, March 10. East Baton Rouge residents brought household hazardous materials and leftover paint to Memorial Stadium parking lot. More than 430 residents dropped off recyclables.

Peggy Hatch, secretary of the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, and Senator Mike Walsworth, chair of the Senate Environmental Quality Committee, presented an EPA grant to the University of Louisiana at Monroe today in Monroe. Dr. Nick J. Bruno, president of ULM, and Dr. Kevin Baer, principal investigator and toxicology department chair, accepted the grant.

Today, Secretary Peggy Hatch of the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality was joined by Senator Mike Walsworth, chair, Senate Environmental Quality Committee, to recognize environmental achievements at the 2012 Environmental Leadership Program Awards ceremony. New and existing members of ELP were commended for their voluntary pollution prevention efforts, community environmental education and outreach initiatives. The ceremony highlighted projects that went above and beyond regulatory compliance to substantially improve the quality of the environment. In 2012, the ELP enrolled 15 new members.

The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality has recently launched an online suggestion form for use by the public for the purpose of submitting ideas to the department.

Yesterday, a Rapides parish contractor admitted in 9th Judicial District Court to illegally disposing of wastes. Walter Monroe Smith, Sr., 62, of Pineville and owner of Rapides Roofing and Home Repair, pled guilty to two separate felony counts of illegally disposing of wastes that endangered or could have endangered human life or health.