Louisiana Environmental Leadership Program

The mission of the Louisiana Environmental Leadership Program (ELP) is to promote a cleaner and better environment for Louisiana through voluntary pollution prevention, waste reduction and/or other environmental stewardship efforts.

2022 ELP Awards Ceremony

Photographs

Program with Project Descriptions

Press Release

ELP Awards Information

ELP Award Overview

Online ELP Award Application 

ELP Award Application Guidance

Environmental Management Systems (EMS) Statement Template

Waste Management Hierarchy

History

The Louisiana Environmental Leadership was established in 1995 as a voluntary cooperative effort between the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality and various Louisiana industries. It was fully operational by 1997 to promote pollution prevention and other efforts, in the pursuit of environmental excellence and leadership. The current program is comprised of Louisiana large, medium and small businesses, federal facilities, municipalities, non-governmental organizations, and schools and universities. Any organization committed to improving the quality of Louisiana’s environment through pollution prevention, waste reduction and other environmental improvements is eligible to join the program as a participating member.

Membership

Participants in this program must commit to supporting the ELP core principles outlined below:

• Participants should minimize adverse impacts on human health and the environment; this should be reflected in their policies and procedures, regulatory and business decisions;
• Participants should have internal management systems which lead to continuous improvement in their environmental performance;
• Participants should use the waste management hierarchy, (source reduction and reuse, recycling/composting, energy recovery, treatment and disposal) as guidance for managing environmental issues and set goals to improve the state's air, water, and land;
• Participants should be proactive in communicating with stakeholders regarding environmental matters and concerns.

Membership Requirements

• Submit a completed ELP Enrollment Form
• Submit a brief plan that highlights and describes your pollution prevention and waste reduction goals.
• Participating members must provide yearly updates so the ELP can track progress towards goals

Membership is renewed every three years upon demonstrated measurable results. This is strictly a voluntary program. Plans and goals may be modified at any time, and not meeting goals will not be used by the LDEQ in any judgmental manner whatsoever.

Membership Benefits

• Recognition
• Networking & Resources

By joining the program you are recognized by your community as an organization committed to maintaining and improving the quality of Louisiana's environment. The secretary of the LDEQ will acknowledge your participation by letter and each new member will be awarded a membership certificate at the annual awards ceremony.

Members of the ELP can participate in periodic meetings, conferences, and seminars/workshops sponsored by the Environmental Leadership Program. Members will be able to obtain information and resources on various pollution prevention opportunities and other environmental management and conservation topics as well as hear from other leaders around the state that are implementing projects.

One of the highlights of the ELP is that members can participate and be recognized in the annual Environmental Leadership Awards for outstanding achievement in Pollution Prevention, Community Environmental Outreach, Outstanding Environmental Ordinance & Enforcement and Environmental Management Systems. Awardees in these categories are recognized annually by the LDEQ secretary at a highly publicized ceremony. 

Steering Committee

• David Burroughs
  Ronpak, Inc.
• David Constant, Ph.D., PE
  LSU College of Engineering
• Douglas Melancon
  ExxonMobil, Baton Rouge Facilities
• Tokesha Collins-Wright
  Louisiana Chemical Association (LCA)

Ex-Officio Members

• Lisa Marie Price
  EPA Region 6 

Contact Information

Phone: 225-219-0877

Email: elp@la.gov