Immediate Release Contact: Marylee Orr (LEAN) 225-928-1315

April 10, 2002 Karla Raettig (TELC) 504-865-5789

LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY MISMANAGES AIR POLLUTION BANK

12 Environmental Groups Call for EPA Audit

Baton Rouge, LA. At a 2 PM press conference, today, in front of the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Headquarters, a coalition of environmental and community groups will formally petition the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to conduct an audit of Louisiana*s air pollution bank because DEQ is not managing it according to federal and state law. This mismanagement endangers the health and welfare of Louisiana residents who live in the Baton Rouge non-attainment region, an area that does not achieve minimum health protection standards for ozone pollution.  

"We knew the bank was poorly run by DEQ and then we caught them running the bank in violation of the law a year and a half ago," stated Marylee Orr, Director of the Louisiana Environmental Action Network. "This is a reflection of a bigger problem at DEQ. DEQ*s failures are management failures, not funding problems. More funding will not fix what is broken at DEQ. And all of these problems continue to harm our health and the economy." 

The twelve petitioners are asking EPA do a thorough audit of the pollution bank to determine which emission "credits" are legal to use as offsets for future pollution. DEQ*s failure to administer the bank in accordance with the Clean Air Act has resulted in the issuance of illegal air permits and has further exacerbated ozone- and pollution-related health problems in the Baton Rouge non-attainment area. EPA and DEQ admitted over a year and a half ago that the banking system violates federal and state law.   

"This audit is long overdue. DEQ and EPA have admitted that Louisiana*s banking system is illegal, but they continue to use it. If this were a financial bank, an honest banker would provide its customers with an audit and promptly reform all of the identified problems. The people of Baton Rouge are legally entitled to clean air and deserve, at the very least, an audit of the bank," added Samantha Klein, Student Attorney at the Tulane Environmental Law Clinic.  

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The Baton Rouge non-attainment region, currently classified as serious, includes: Ascension, East Baton Rouge, Iberville, Livingston, and West Baton Rouge parishes. 

The 12 organizations petitioning the agency, represented by the Tulane Environmental Law Clinic, are: Alliance for Affordable Energy, Alliance against Waste and Action to Restore the Environment, Caring Parents of Geismar, Concerned Citizens of Livingston Parish, Concerned Citizens of Iberville Parish, Louisiana Bucket Brigade, Louisiana Communities United, Louisiana Democracy Project, Louisiana Environmental Action Network, Louisiana Labor Neighbor, Myrtle Grove Community, and North Baton Rouge Environmental Association. 

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