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EPA Tells of DEQ Successes at 26th Annual Conference on the Environment L ouisiana is excelling in many areas of environmental concern, according to Carl L. Edlund, EPA Region 6 Multi-Media Planning Director. Edlund told a group of industry leaders, DEQ employees and interested citizens about the areas where the state is leading the country during his remarks at DEQ’s 26th annual Conference on the Environment, held March 18-19 in Lafayette. The EPA also recently sent DEQ a letter to formally recognize the agency for its leadership. “With this achievement, LDEQ becomes the national leader in RCRA (Resource Conservation and Recovery Act) program authorization. I congratulate and commend the LDEQ staff for this outstanding accomplishment,” Edlund wrote in the letter. Louisiana has “made a tremendous improvement in air quality for the EPA one-hour standard and is reaching the eight-hour standard faster than most areas of the country,” Edlund said. The eighthour standard follows the EPA’s more stringent guidelines on air quality. The conference was well attended by exhibitors and the public. The attendees could choose from 34 different presentations on a variety of environmental subjects. Seminars and panel discussions included varied subjects such as Homeland Security, Green Chemistry, Review of Criteria Air Pollutants and Emergency Release and Incident Reporting. The seminars offered professional development hours to the attendees. The 126 exhibitors demonstrated the newest in technology and ideas to the crowd of more than 1,000 people. The conference provided an excellent opportunity for regulators, environmental managers, consultants, industry representatives and interested citizens to network and exchange ideas on current environmental issues and future technologies. DEQ Secretary Mike McDaniel, Carl Edlund, EPA Region 6 and Bill Stringer, EPA Washington, get ready to speak to the Plenary session of the Conference on the Environment. DEQ Secretary Mike McDaniel said, “It is important to hear the good news about how Louisiana compares to other states in protecting the environment. It shows we are making progress in many areas, and while there is still much to do, we have a good foundation on which to build.” Training sessions covered topics such as how to handle request for public records an how to submit documents to be scanned in the electronic document management system. There were also exhibits on display in the Topic File Room and Public Records Center. Special contests events were scheduled during National Library Week. “The response to this year’s RIMM campaign has been very positive,” said McLain. More than 150 DEQ employees and 50 individuals from organizations such as the Baton Rouge Advocate, Division of Administrative Law and Louisiana State University participated in the celebration. Ferol Foos, Recorder of Documents with the State Library of Louisiana, said, “I was impressed by each DEQ person’s emphasis on service to the public/citizens. The attitude of openness, helpfulness, service was strong, sincere, and pervasive.” In April, DEQ celebrated Records and Information Management Month (RIMM) in a big way. To really get the ball rolling, Governor Kathleen Blanco issued a statewide proclamation recognizing the event. RIMM is celebrated internationally during April to promote the records management profession and to emphasize the impact that records and information management has on global business. It began in 1995 when the Association of Records Managers and Administrators Inc. (ARMA) established the event. The theme was “Opening a Door to a World of Information.” According to Wendy McLain, DEQ Records Manager, “We thought it was a great time to show off the many improvements to DEQ’s records management program that have been implemented since the creation of the Records Management section in 2000. The goal of the month-long, comprehensive campaign was to promote the importance of good records and information management, as well as the value of openness in government and the public’s right to know. “This year was the most ambitious RIMM celebration DEQ has ever attempted,” McLain said. “It will be a challenge to top this next year.” Additional information about DEQ’s Records Management program is found at www.ldeq.org/pubrecords. Jay Stephenson, Environmental Chemical Specialist in Engineering Group 3 along with other DEQ employees, visit the Topic File Room. The Topic File Room was just one of the stops made on the tours offered during RIMM. On April 2, the public had the opportunity to tour various DEQ departments inside the Galvez Building. The new facilities made it easier to conduct the tours and training. The tours highlighted the Public Records Center, Imaging Operations, Topic File Room, Library, Legal Library and Geographic Information System (GIS) Center. DEQ Secretary Mike McDaniel and Undersecretary Cy Buchert welcomed guests and provided opening remarks. Page 8
Moving In the Right Direction Drinking Water Protection Program Moves onto Acadia Parish From cochon d’lait in Avoyelles to frogs in Acadia, the Drinking Water Protection Team is moving in the right direction. Acadia Parish also home of the Frog Festival was recently selected as the next parish for DEQ’s comprehensive Drinking Water Protection Program (DWPP) campaign. The DWPP is a voluntary program designed to assist communities in protecting their drinking water sources. Clean water is a valuable resource and essential for good health. Approximately two-thirds of Louisiana’s population depends on ground water for drinking water. Ground water is easier to caontaminate than it is to cleanup. Knowing how to protect it from potential contamination is vital. The goals of the program are to inform the public of the steps each person can take to protect the integrity of their drinking water sources and increase public awareness and community involvement in the process. Another goal is to take this program into all Louisiana Parishes. Acadia’s Drinking Water Protection team consists of Mary Gentry and Tiffani Cravens both DEQ geologists. During the initial phase of the campaign, which began in early February and ended in late March, the team visited several public and private schools giving environmental presentations to more than 2,000 students. The team also met and shared information with 11 superintendents for municipal water systems in the parish. The campaign officially kicked off in April with a community meeting held at the Rayne Civic Center. About 40 citizens comprised of elected officials, members of community groups, business and industry, came out to learn about the campaign’s message “Protect Your Drinking Water One Drop At A Time.” The team shared protection and conservation tips that residents could use in Acadia Parish Drinking Water Protection Members Mary Gentry and Tiffani Cravens. their homes. The program also seeks volunteers to serve on committees to work with the community in creating a sustainable drinking water protection program. After the meeting, approximately 25 residents volunteered their time, service and resources. The well-received Avoyelles Parish pilot program kicked off last year in May. The DDWP team members for the parish, Jesse Means and Michaela Marchand, are currently working with the Avoyelle’s volunteer committee on passing drinking water ordinances. Marksville has a resolution on the table for an ordinance and three other towns, Mansura, Moreauville and Simmsport, are in the process of establishing ordinances as well. They have meet with the planning commission for Avoyelles, which has passed the recommendation onto the police jury for discussion at their next meeting. The DWPP is linked to the Louisiana Wellhead Protection Program, which DEQ has run for more than a decade. The Wellhead Protection Program has received numerous awards and certificates of recognition from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for excellence and efficiency. The Wellhead Protection program is designed to protect the quality of public drinking water supplies obtained from community water wells. The term “Wellhead” refers to the part of a water well that is present at the surface. A “Drinking Water Protection Area” is the surface and subsurface area surrounding a water well. Formerly, these New signs like this one that read Drinking Water Protection Area can now be found throughout Acadia Parish. areas were referred to as “Wellhead Protection Areas”, but the term “Drinking Water Protection Area” better describes the protection of the resource itself. Both teams have worked to replace signs along major roadways in Acadia and Avoyelles. Signs that read “Wellhead Protection Area” now reflect “Drinking Water Protection Area. The new signs help identify and clarify the program and remind people when a public drinking water supply well is nearby. The next stop for the team is Denver, Colo., where they will represent DEQ in panel discussions at the EPA’s 2004 Community Involvement Conference and Training. The public may contact the team at (225) 219- 3510 for an environmental demonstration. To learn more on how you can protect you drinking water visit the DEQ web page at http://www.deq. state.la.us/evaluation/aeps/. T-shirts, stress balls, pens, pencils and key rings are used as awareness tools to help the team get the message out about protecting drinking water. Tiffani Cravens, Drinking Water Protection member, gives an environmental presentation to third and fourth grade students at St. Francis Elementary School in Iota. Page 9
Page 1 and 2: Spring 2004 Vol 4, No. 2 UPDATE In
Page 3 and 4: New Faces at DEQ Chuck Carr Brown,
Page 5 and 6: New Measures to Improve Air Quality
Page 7: A Day in the Life of… An Executiv
Page 11 and 12: Focus on Education Municipalities a
Page 13 and 14: “Stepping Out to Save Lives” Yo
Page 15 and 16: DEQ Enforcement Activity (continued
Page 17 and 18: DEQ Enforcement Activity (continued
Page 19 and 20: DEQ Permit Activity continued Date

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