Additional Resources & Contact Information
There are a variety of important links, within their respective sections, throughout this guidebook including EPA's TRI and Environmental Working Group's Tap Water Database. Below are a few additional links that might be helpful as you explore environmental information about your area.
EPA's Envirofacts
https://enviro.epa.gov/
Ep is a search application that allows a user to explore environmental information based on location. Information includes AirQuality index, radon, UV index, water quality assessment, watersheds, streamflow, energy facilities, fuel costs, Superfund National Priorities List, and Brownfields, among many others.
EnviroMapper
https://enviro.epa.gov/enviro/...
EnviroMapper is an interactive map that allows a user to add data layers similar to Google Maps. Layers include basic mapping tools such as roads, water bodies, and geographic boundaries, as well as environmental layers such as ozone non-attainment, impaired water bodies, chemical facilities, etc. Maps can then be printed or saved as PDF.
EJ Screen
https://ejscreen.epa.gov/mappe...
EJ Screen is also an interactive map that allows users to add data layers. Data layers for EJView include environmental justice topics such as EJ grant locations, health, demographics, and facility-level data.
EPA National Priorities List (NPL) Map
https://www.epa.gov/superfund/...
EPA NPL Map is an interactive map which contains points and information for all proposed, final, deleted, and considered National Priorities List sites.
ATSDR Substance Map
https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/subs...
ATSDR maintains an interactive map. Select a substance and a state from the drop down menus below to view a map of communities where the selected substance has been found.You will be linked to a Public Health Assessment or a Health Consultation for that community. The selected substance was found during the public health assessment process.
The National Map
http://www.nationalmap.gov/
The National Map, created by the US Geological Survey, allows users to create maps using various USGS tools and datasets for information on topography, land cover, land use, and other ecological information. USGS also provides printable, downloadable, and historical maps for free and for purchase.
NPL Superfund Footprint: Site, Population, and Environmental Characteristics Mapper
http://superfund.ciesin.columbia.edu/sfmapper
Created by the Columbia University NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP), the NPL Superfund footprint mapper was created to provide researchers, regulators, and the public with a mapping tool to help understand the characteristics of environmental and community concerns near Superfund sites. This tool allows users to explore environmental exposure risks for vulnerable populations and sensitive environmental areas.
AirNow
http://www.airnow.gov/
AirNow is an online tool to inform you how polluted or clean your air is on a particular day. The Air Quality Index translates air quality data into easy-to-understand color-coded maps and provides related health impacts based on daily air quality.
Enviroflash
http://www.enviroflash.info
Enviroflash is a notification system through AirNow where the user can sign up to receive alerts regarding air quality. You can elect to receive text messages, emails, or use the Enviroflash app based on daily forecasts and current conditions, or receive alerts when an action day is declared.
Environmental Data Tutorials with MacArthur Genius Wilma Subra
https://youtube.com/playlist?l...
Learn how to navigate the Louisiana's Department of Environmental Quality Electronic Data Management System(EDMS) with LEAN Technical Advisor and MacArthur Genius Wilma Subra. Wilma Subra has helped countless communities understand environmental issues in their community in an effort to solve them. Follow her as she explains how you can find information about pollution in your community. This series also features Dr. Adrienne Katner with regards to water quality and home filtration.
Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana Citizens’ Rights Card
http://www.parlouisiana.com/citizensrightscard.cfm
The printable and foldable Citizen’s Rights Card created by the Public affairs Research Council of Louisiana assists citizens in knowing their rights under Louisiana’s open meetings and public records laws. The pocket guide contains information on open and closed meetings, access to public records, and laws concerning public protesting.
Right to Know Network
http://www.rtknet.org/
The Right-to-Know network is a project of the Center for Effective Government and is a free environmental resource service to citizens. It contains easy to find information on toxic releases (TRI), hazardous wastes, legislation, and many other environment-related topics. It also has a user forum where you can talk with other RTK users about environmental concerns in your area.
DEQ Enviroschool
http://www.deq.louisiana.gov/portal/tabid/2601/Default.aspx
The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality created Enviroschool, an environmental education outreach which provides training to the public on the regulatory process. Sessions are free and DEQ provides a database of past education materials on their website.
Department of Health and Hospitals Private Water Well Testing
http://www.dhh.louisiana.gov/assets/oph/Center-EH/engineering/Private_Water_Well_Testing.pdf
The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals has put together a very informative brochure on owning and maintaining a private water well, including information on when you should have your water well tested for contaminants.
Louisiana Fish Advisories
http://www.deq.louisiana.gov/portal/default.aspx?tabid=1631
The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality offers a complete listing of all current fishing and swimming advisories for Louisiana water bodies.
US Environmental Protection Agency
www.epa.gov
Phone: (202) 272-0165
Phone: 1-800-887-6063
Headquarters Mailing Address:
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20460
Region 6 Mailing Address:
Fountain Place 12th Floor, Suite 1200
1445 Ross Avenue
Dallas, TX 75202
Responsibilities:
Air pollution, Greenhouse gases, Climate change, Acid rain, Pollution prevention, Toxic chemicals, Asbestos, lead, mercury, Emergency management, Clean energy, Energy star, Healthy schools, Superfunds, Brownfields, Underground storage tanks, Hydraulic fracturing, Landfills, Pesticides, Hazardous and non-hazardous wastes
US Army Corps of Engineers
www.usace.army.mil
Phone: (202) 761-0011
Mailing Address:
441 G Street NW
Washington, DC 20314-1000
Responsibilities:
Dam safety, Flood risk, Levee safety, Formerly used defense sites, Emergency operations, Wetlands mitigation
US Department of the Interior
www.doi.gov
Phone: (202) 208-3100
Mailing Address:
1849 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20240
Responsibilities:
Land and Water Conservation grants, National Park System, National Wildlife Refuges, National Fish Hatcheries, Endangered Species Act, Habitat Conservation Plans, Native American lands, Federal public lands, Outer Continental Shelf, Mineral revenues, Coal mining, Alternative energy, America’s Great Outdoor Initiative, US maps and atlases
The Department of the Interior includes the following:
National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Land Management, Office of Surface Mining, U.S. Geological Survey, Bureau of Reclamation, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement
US Nuclear Regulatory Commission
www.nrc.gov
Phone: 1-800-368-5642
Mailing Address:
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Washington, DC 20555
Responsibilities:
Nuclear reactors and materials safety
US Forest Service
www.fs.fed.us
Phone: 1-800-832-1355
Mailing Address:
1400 Independence Ave., SW
Washington, D.C.20250
Responsibilities:
Forest Conservation, Grasslands, Urban forests, Forest fires, Sustainable forestry
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
www.ferc.gov
Phone: 1-866-208-3372
Mailing Address:
888 First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20426
Responsibilities:
Interstate transmission of electricity, natural gas, and oil, Liquified natural gas terminals, Interstate natural gas pipeline, Hydroelectric projects
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
www.noaa.gov
Mailing Address:
1401 Constitution Avenue, NW
Room 5128
Washington, DC 20230
Responsibilities:
Fisheries and marine resources, National Weather Service, Ocean monitoring, Estuaries, Coastal and oceanic maps, Environmental satellites, Climate science, Sea Grand College Program, Coastal Zone management
Department of Environmental Quality
deq.louisiana.gov
Phone: (225) 219-5337
Phone: 1-866-896-5337
Physical Address:
Galvez Building
602 North Fifth Street
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
Responsibilities:
Regulations, Permits, Enforcement, Assessments, Investigations, Pollution, Recycling, Hazardous Waste, Household hazardous waste
Department of Health and Hospitals
www.dhh.louisiana.gov
Phone: (225) 342-9500
Fax: (225) 342-5568
Mailing Address:
P. O. Box 629
Baton Rouge, LA 70821-0629
Physical Address:
628 N. 4th Street
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
Responsibilities:
Drinking water and well water, Toxicological concerns such as lead poisoning, Food preparation safety and health inspections, Environmentally related disease clusters, Health / fish consumption advisories, Acute pesticide exposure
Department of Natural Resources
www.dnr.louisiana.gov
Phone: (225) 342-4500
Fax: (225) 342-586
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 94396
Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9396
Physical Address:
617 North Third Street
LaSalle Building
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
Responsibilities:
Oil and gas, Coastal management, Drilling and hydraulic fracturing, Surface mining, Pipeline safety, Mineral leases, Underground Injection wells, Treatment, storage and disposal of waste, Groundwater resources, State Mineral and energy board, Coastal Use permits, Coastal Management and restoration, Atchafalaya Basin Program
Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
www.wlf.louisiana.gov
Phone: 1-800-256-2749
Phone: (225) 765-2800
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 98000
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70898
Physical Address:
2000 Quail Dr.
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70898
Responsibilities:
Commercial and recreational fishing, Boating safety and regulations, Hunting permits and licenses, Wildlife protection, safety and nuisance animals, Wildlife management areas
Department of Agriculture and Forestry
www.ldaf.state.la.us
Phone: (225) 922-1234
Phone: 1-800-927-3476
Mailing Address:
5825 Florida Blvd
Baton Rouge, LA 70806
Responsibilities:
Crop and fruit pests and disease, Weights and measures, Livestock health, Foresty, Nonpoint source pollution
LSU Agricultural Center
www.lsuagcenter.com
Phone: (225)578-4161
Mailing Address:
101 J. Norman Efferson Hall
110 LSU Union Square
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803-0106
Responsibilities:
Lawn and garden, Farming, Livestock, Rural Development
Department of Transportation and Development
www.dotd.la.gov
Phone: (225) 379-1232
Mailing Address:
1201 Capitol Access Road
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
Responsibilities:
Public Transportation, Flood control and dam safety
Governor’s Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness
www.gohsep.la.gov
Phone: (225) 925.7500
Mailing Address:
7667 Independence Blvd.
Baton Rouge, LA 70806
Responsibilities:
Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security, Emergency alerts and warnings, Disaster recovery, Evacuation routes
State Police
www.lsp.org
Phone: (225) 925-6006
Mailing Address:
7919 Independence Boulevard
Baton Rouge, LA 70806
Responsibilities:
Public Safety, Evacuations, Hazardous material, HAZMAT response
Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority
www.coastal.la.gov
Phone: (225) 342-4027
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 44027
Baton Rouge, LA 70804
Responsibilities:
Coastal Master Plan, Coastal restoration, Emergency response, Oil spill restoration
Acadiana Regional Development District
Grayling Handoff,
Economic Development Director
Acadiana Regional Development District
P.O. Box 90070
Lafayette, LA 70509
(337) 886-7782
ghadnoff [at] ardd [dot] org
Alexandria, LA
Daniel Smith
Mayor’s Office of Economic Development
City of Alexandria P.O. Box 71
Alexandria, LA 71309
(318) 449-5009
daniel [dot] smith [at] cityofalex [dot] com
Baton Rouge, LA
Barret Chaix,
City Planning Commission
City of Baton Rouge-Parish of East Baton Rouge Planning Commission
P.O. Box 1471
Baton Rouge, LA 70821
(225) 389-3144
(225) 389-5342 Fax
BChaix [at] brgov [dot] com
Gretna, LA
Honorable Ronnie C. Harris
Mayor of Gretna
2nd St. and Huey P. Long Ave.
Room 102 P.O. Box 404
Gretna, LA 70054
(504) 363-1505
(504) 363-1509 Fax
rharris [at] gretanala [dot] com
Jefferson Parish, LA
Ms. Marnie Winter,
Director, Department of Environmental Affairs
4901 Jefferson Hwy, Suite E
Jefferson, LA 70121
(504) 736-6440
(504) 731-4607 Fax
mwinter [at] jeffparish [dot] net
Kathleen Collins,
Brownfields Project Manager
(504) 731-4612
KCollins [at] jeffparish [dot] net
Lake Charles, LA
Ron Fossett,
Brownfields Project Manager
P.O. Box 900
Lake Charles, LA 70602
(337) 491-1542
rfossett [at] coflc [dot] us
New Orleans, LA
Nathan Champagne
Mayor’s Office of Environmental Affairs
1340 Poydras St., 10th floor
New Orleans, LA 70112
(504) 658-4070
(504) 658-4397 Fax
njchampagne [at] cityofno [dot] com
New Orleans Regional Planning
Commission
Walter Brooks,
Executive Director
10 Veterans Blvd
New Orleans, LA 70124
(504) 568-6611
(504) 568-6643 Fax
rpc [at] norpc [dot] org
Rebecca Otte
(504) 483-8513
rotte [at] norpc [dot] org
Shreveport, LA
Robert McMullen,
Director, Department of Operational Services
P.O. Box 31109
Shreveport, LA 71130
(318) 673-6090
(318) 673-7663 Fax
robert [dot] mcmullen [at] ci [dot] shreveport [dot] la [dot] us
South Central Planning and Development Commission
Jo-anna Jones,
Brownfields Coordinator
P.O. Box 1870
Gray, LA 70359
5058 West Main Street
Houma, LA 70360<
(985) 851-2900
(985) 851-4472 Fax
jones [at] scpdc [dot] org
State of Louisiana Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness(GOHSEP) Contacts
Current GOHSEP contacts are listed, by parish, here:
The Louisiana Citizens’ Guide to Environmental Engagement is dedicated to those LEAN family members who are no longer with us but who proudly committed their lives to solving Louisiana’s environmental problems for the safety of their families, betterment of their community and benefit of us all:
Ramona Stevens
Amos Favorite
Darnell Dunn
E.W. Pate
Scott Welch
Albertha Hasten
Dr. Griff Blakewood
Contributors:
Michael Orr
Paul Orr
Marylee Orr
Betsy Paille
Margaret Reams, Ph.D.
Wilma Subra
Maria Belen Toscano
Photography:
Jeffrey Dubinsky
Julie Dermansky
William Fontenot
Graphics, Layout & Design:
Michael Orr
Paul Orr
This guidebook has been the result of a productive partnership between the Louisiana Environmental Action Network and the Louisiana State University Superfund Research Program.
LEAN would like to thank its Board of Directors: Cheryl Slavant, Kathy R. Wascom, Jerry Speir, Rose Jackson, Clarice Friloux, Frank Bonifay, Paul Ringo, and Tracy Kuhns as well as the countless individuals who have informed and supported LEAN’s work both past and present.
Special thanks to the planning committee, speakers and workshop leaders of the 2013 Response, Recovery and Resilience to Oil Spills and Environmental Disasters Symposium and Workshop:
Kim A. Anderson, Anna K. Harding, Steven G. O’Connell, and Lane Tidwell, Oregon State University Superfund Research Program
Barry Dellinger, Slawo Lomnicki, Elisabeth Mitran, and Margaret Reams, LSU Superfund Research Program
Nina S.N. Lam, Department of Environmental Sciences, LSU
Doug Daigle, Coordinator of the Louisiana Hypoxia Working Group, LSU
Wilma Subra, Subra Company & LEAN
Daniel Nguyen, Mary Queen of Vietnam Community Development Corporation.
Marylee Orr, LEAN
John Lopez, Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation
Catherine Heitman, Heitman Communications
Tom Klei, Former Vice Chancellor for Research and Economic Development, Louisiana State University
Tom Harris, Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality
Jon Rauscher, US Environmental Protection Agency
A Hays Town, Jr., Baton Rouge Save our Water
A very special thanks to the communities throughout Louisiana who play the most important role in protecting our fragile environment and it’s inhabitants. May this guidebook be a valuable tool in helping you enjoy a safe and healthy life at home in Louisiana.