Environmental watchdog wants federal takeover of DEQ

BRAITHEWAITE, La. —

The state's disaster response to a chemical spill at the Stolthaven chemical plant has one environmental watchdog group asking for the firing of a top public relations official within the Department of Environmental Quality amid an ongoing request for a federal takeover of the entire department.

"From the very beginning it was clear -- there were chemicals released into the environment," said Anne Rolfes, with an environmental watchdog group Louisiana Bucket Brigade.

The group said aerial pictures of the Stolthaven chemical plant in Braithwaite after Hurricane Isaac show where floodwaters knocked storage tanks off their foundations.

In a letter to DEQ dated Sept. 11, Stolthaven reported an unauthorized discharge saying, "It is assumed that a portion of the identified tanks was released to the facility's storm water, which then flowed off-site."

The Louisiana Bucket Brigade said that if the company itself had identified a problem, why were first responders, media or residents let into the area at all?

"DEQ stood by and let all of these people go back to that area without giving an adequate warning," said Rolfes.

DEQ repeatedly said there was no environmental impact outside the plant. Peter Ricca, with the DEQ, said, "We have a person there who has an air-monitoring device, and that would alarm if something was released."

On Sept. 1, DEQ press secretary Rodney Mallett said, "We are not seeing anything out of the ordinary, except for PM 2.5."

However, the nonprofit group said it was obvious there was a problem, which is why it's asking for Mallett's resignation or termination.

"This is ultimately a soil, sediment issue and a water issue, so for him to keep referring to air is artful (is) artfully misleading," said Rolfes. "At some point, there has got to be some accountability. We cannot just let this go by."

For the last eight months, the brigade has been asking the Environmental Protection Agency to takeover DEQ, and they said the recent incident is another example why.

Rolfe said that according to the Office of the Inspector General inside EPA, "Louisiana has a culture in which the state agency is expected to protect industry."

"That's exactly what we're seeing in play," Rolfes said.

Gulf Restoration Network provided the aerial pictures.

Mallett has no comment on the request for his resignation, but DEQ said it just issued Stolthaven more than $12,000 in fines for failure to notify the agency of an emergency in a timely manner and the facility could face more fines.

The department said it will continue to hold Stolthaven accountable as they clean up their mess.

The brigade is also asking the EPA office of the inspector general to review the region's response and the public relations during Isaac.

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