SLS 24RS-1702 ORIGINAL
2024 Regular Session
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 30
BY SENATOR FIELDS
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY. To urge and request the Department of Environmental
Quality to study implementation of real-time community air monitoring and notification
systems.
1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
2 To urge and request the Department of Environmental Quality to study the implementation
3 of real-time community air monitoring and notification systems for emission sources.
4 WHEREAS, the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality's mission is to
5 provide comprehensive environmental protection in order to promote and protect human
6 health, safety, and welfare; and
7 WHEREAS, Article IX, Section 1 of the Constitution of Louisiana requires the
8 legislature to enact laws to protect, conserve, and replenish the natural resources of the state,
9 including the air, insofar as possible and consistent with the health, safety, and welfare of
10 the people; and
11 WHEREAS, clean air is a necessity of life for ourselves, plant and animal life, and
12 the entire ecosystem, and polluted air endangers life, nature, and property; and
13 WHEREAS, air pollution presents serious risks to health, including short-term and
14 chronic respiratory ailments, and in extreme cases, the release of toxic chemicals carry the
15 threat of birth defects, heart disease and other long-term illnesses, cancer, and possibly
16 death; and
17 WHEREAS, Louisiana is blessed with a convergence of natural resources: plentiful
18 petroleum, natural gas, water, forests, fisheries, and avenues of transportation, including the
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SLS 24RS-1702 ORIGINAL
1 Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico; and
2 WHEREAS, industry is a major economic engine for our state, employing many of
3 Louisiana's citizens, supporting small businesses, and contributing, both directly and
4 indirectly, substantial revenue to the tax rolls of state and local governments; and
5 WHEREAS, industry and government must cooperate to ensure that Louisiana's
6 economic productivity does not come at the expense of human health and a clean
7 environment; and
8 WHEREAS, Louisiana has many emission sources under the Title V Clean Air Act
9 permit program, and reducing pollution and its negative consequences would bolster
10 economic growth; and
11 WHEREAS, communities located near industrial facilities may be disproportionately
12 impacted by air pollution and its many adverse effects; and
13 WHEREAS, community air monitoring systems could play a critical role in assessing
14 air quality, identifying sources of pollution, and implementing measures to mitigate harmful
15 emissions, thereby promoting transparency and cooperation between government, industry,
16 and the public; and
17 WHEREAS, air monitoring systems can detect hazardous air pollutants and criteria
18 pollutants, provide real-time notification to first responders, neighboring communities, and
19 government agencies, and enable informed decision-making when emissions pose a threat
20 to public health; and
21 WHEREAS, air monitoring systems are in operation throughout the country near
22 major emission sources, demonstrating their viability and reliability.
23 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
24 recognize the critical importance of air monitoring of industrial pollution sources in
25 safeguarding public health and protecting the environment.
26 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby urge
27 and request the Department of Environmental Quality to study the implementation of real-
28 time community air monitoring and notification systems that could increase public
29 awareness of pollution and unplanned releases, thereby protecting life and property.
30 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
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SLS 24RS-1702 ORIGINAL
1 secretary of the Department of Environmental Quality.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Jacob K. Wilson.
DIGEST
SCR 30 Original 2024 Regular Session Fields
Requests the Dept. of Environmental Quality to study implementation of community air
monitoring and notification systems.
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