COMPLETION REPORT

Since September 2005, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) have worked together to address environmental hazards from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita to help Jefferson Davis Parish recover.

One of EPA and LDEQ's first priorities was to ensure residents returning to all the cities affected by the hurricanes had safe drinking water. Throughout Louisiana, assessments were conducted at drinking water facilities, of which eight were in Jefferson Davis Parish.

Next, EPA and LDEQ turned to federally-permitted facilities. The agencies conducted interviews and site visits at hazardous waste storage, transfer or disposal facilities through March 2006. During this time, seven facilities in Jefferson Davis Parish were addressed. The site visits and interviews established that employees could return to work at facilities operating in accordance with federal and state regulations.

Because of concerns that damaged chemicals in school biology and chemistry laboratories could cause a health hazard, EPA and LDEQ conducted assessments at 16 schools in Jefferson Davis Parish. Some chemical containers were found to be damaged by the hurricanes, by flood waters and/or from heat exposure. EPA and LDEQ, in coordination with the Louisiana State Police and local fire departments, removed dangerous chemicals from 6 schools in Jefferson Davis Parish.