News Release Archives

The Coast Guard, along with the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality and partner agencies, are responding to reports of an odor that was in the vicinity of New Orleans, Wednesday.

Today, investigators with the Criminal Investigation Division of the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality arrested an Evangeline Parish man for the alleged illegal burning of waste tires. Officers with the Basile Police Department originally responded to a burning complaint on March 8 at 2348 Guillory Street in Basile. The findings of that investigation were forwarded to DEQ's Criminal Investigation Division which led to the arrest.

The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality continues to enhance its electronic business model and has developed many online services, including the ability to pay fees. All fees invoiced by the department can be paid online. This includes monitoring and maintenance fees, annual registration fees, annual licensing fees and most pre-paid application fees.

One in every 10 homes has a leak that is wasting at least 90 gallons of water per day. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) WaterSense program encourages Americans to check and replace leaky plumbing fixtures and sprinkler systems, helping households save more than 10,000 gallons of water per year and as much as 10 percent on utility bills.

The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality and the Regional Planning Commission are seeking input from the public on air quality strategies to reduce ozone formation and maintain attainment with the national standards.

Seven teams participated in the 2013 Louisiana Envirothon Environmental Competition was held March 9 at the LSU AgCenter Burden Center in Baton Rouge. The teams participated in an environmental educational contest that consisted of testing at area stations in aquatics, forestry, soils, wildlife, the current issue, sustainable ranchland management and an oral presentation.

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.

Today, Marc Victoriano, 38, of Marrero, pled guilty in 19th Judicial District Court to knowingly making a false representation on a form filed with DEQ. Victoriano is the operator of Professional Safety Consultants, an asbestos abatement training provider. In 2009, Victoriano knowingly prepared asbestos course forms that falsely misrepresented the number of accredited instructors teaching asbestos training courses. DEQ regulations require that two or more accredited instructors must be listed for each asbestos training course. Victoriano knowingly submitted the false forms to DEQ in Baton Rouge with the name of an instructor that was out of the state on the dates the classes were taught.