News Release Archives

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.

The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality Enviroschool is offering a free session on DEQ emergency response. This session is in Monroe and will provide an overview of the role and activities handled by the Emergency Response Division of DEQ. Some of the topics will include what happens when there's an emergency situation, DEQ's role and response during emergencies and procedures regarding. The session is geared toward the general public and people working in the emergency response professions such as first responders from the fire department, police department or local offices of emergency preparedness.

The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality is encouraging the public to submit nominations for the Gulf Guardian Awards Program. As a member of the Gulf of Mexico Program and Gulf of Mexico Alliance, Louisiana residents can nominate citizens, companies and organizations that are taking positive steps to keep the Gulf of Mexico and associated coastal water habitats healthy, beautiful and productive. The deadline for submitting nominations is March 8, 2013.

Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality Secretary Peggy Hatch presented a $21 million check to the city of Kenner yesterday. The funds, which came from the Clean Waters State Revolving Loan Fund at an interest rate of.95 percent, will be used to upgrade Kenner's wastewater collection ad treatment facilities.

The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality has selected Franklin and Richland Parishes as the next stop for its drinking water protection campaign, "Protect Drinking Water One Drop at a Time." The program's goal is to increase the public's awareness and participation in protecting their area's drinking water.

When people burn waste, it causes air pollution and, in some cases, can be illegal. Open burning of certain materials is prohibited in Louisiana. There are also local ordinances pertaining to what can and can't be burned. If you have a trash pile and burn household waste, construction debris or anything other than vegetative matter, you could pay a fine Some materials that should NEVER be burned are: Plastic and other synthetic materials Tires and other rubber products Paints, household and agricultural chemicals Asphalt shingles, heavy oils, wire Newspaper, cardboard and other paper products Buildings and mobile homes