Louisiana DEQ honors Environmental Leadership Program members

The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) recognized standout performers and new members within its Environmental Leadership Program (ELP) in an awards ceremony at the department headquarters in Baton Rouge this week.

“The Environmental Leadership Awards highlight the proactive efforts of school, industry and communities to take ownership in their environment,” DEQ Secretary Dr. Chuck Brown said. “The award projects go a long way to improve our environment and set a good example.”

Brown was joined at the awards by State Sen. Mike Walsworth (R-33), who chairs the Senate Environmental Quality Committee, and State Rep. Suart Bishop (R-43), chairman of the House Natural Resources and Environment Committee.

The DEQ celebrated the ELP’s 15 newest members, who joined throughout 2015 and 2016, and presented 11 awards to recognize the achievements of its members, including municipalities, academia and large, medium and small businesses.

Through their voluntary pollution prevention efforts, environmental management systems and outreach initiatives in their local communities, ELP member projects reduced pollutants like nitrates, NOx, CO2, greenhouse gases, solid waste, E-waste and polyethyl polyol residual by more than 11 million pounds. The members also reduced diesel fuel usage by more than 550,000 gallons and aquatic debris by 135 cubic yards. The ELP reused more than 52.5 million gallons of cooling tower blowdown water and recycled nearly 2 million gallons of used oil and hydrocarbon-contaminated water and 1.5 million pounds of e-waste.