SLS 24RS-1702 ENGROSSED
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 create the Community Air Monitoring and Notification Task Force to study the
3 implementation of real-time community air monitoring and notification systems for
4 emission sources.
5 WHEREAS, the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality's mission is to
6 provide comprehensive environmental protection in order to promote and protect human
7 health, safety, and welfare; and
8 WHEREAS, Article IX, Section 1 of the Constitution of Louisiana requires the
9 legislature to enact laws to protect, conserve, and replenish the natural resources of the state,
10 including the air, insofar as possible and consistent with the health, safety, and welfare of
11 the people; and
12 WHEREAS, clean air is a necessity of life for ourselves, plant and animal life, and
13 the entire ecosystem, and polluted air endangers life, nature, and property; and
14 WHEREAS, air pollution presents serious risks to health, including short-term and
15 chronic respiratory ailments, and in extreme cases, the release of toxic chemicals carry the
16 threat of birth defects, heart disease and other long-term illnesses, cancer, and possibly
17 death; and
18 WHEREAS, Louisiana is blessed with a convergence of natural resources: plentiful
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1 petroleum, natural gas, water, forests, fisheries, and avenues of transportation, including the
2 Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico; and
3 WHEREAS, industry is a major economic engine for our state, employing many of
4 Louisiana's citizens, supporting small businesses, and contributing, both directly and
5 indirectly, substantial revenue to the tax rolls of state and local governments; and
6 WHEREAS, industry and government must cooperate to ensure that Louisiana's
7 economic productivity does not come at the expense of human health and a clean
8 environment; and
9 WHEREAS, Louisiana has many emission sources under the Title V Clean Air Act
10 permit program, and reducing pollution and its negative consequences would bolster
11 economic growth; and
12 WHEREAS, communities located near industrial facilities may be disproportionately
13 impacted by air pollution and its many adverse effects; and
14 WHEREAS, community air monitoring systems could play a critical role in assessing
15 air quality, identifying sources of pollution, and implementing measures to mitigate harmful
16 emissions, thereby promoting transparency and cooperation between government, industry,
17 and the public; and
18 WHEREAS, air monitoring systems can detect hazardous air pollutants and criteria
19 pollutants, provide real-time notification to first responders, neighboring communities, and
20 government agencies, and enable informed decision-making when emissions pose a threat
21 to public health; and
22 WHEREAS, air monitoring systems are in operation throughout the country near
23 major emission sources, demonstrating their viability and reliability; and
24 WHEREAS, air monitoring of industrial emissions sources is critically important to
25 safeguard public health and protect the environment.
26 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
27 create the Community Air Monitoring and Notification Task Force charged with the
28 responsibility to study the implementation of real-time community air monitoring and
29 notification systems, specifically the costs and benefits of implementation of such systems
30 in communities disproportionately impacted by the negative affects of air pollution.
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1 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Community Air Monitoring and Notification
2 Task Force shall be composed of the following members:
3 (1) The secretary of the Department of Environmental Quality, or her designee.
4 (2) The assistant secretary of the office of public health, within the Louisiana
5 Department of Health, or her designee.
6 (3) The secretary of the Department of Energy and Natural Resources, or his
7 designee.
8 (4) A member appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives.
9 (5) A member appointed by the president of the Senate.
10 (6) A member appointed by the chairman of the House Committee on Natural
11 Resources and Environment.
12 (7) A member appointed by the chairman of the Senate Committee on Environmental
13 Quality.
14 (8) A member appointed by the Louisiana Environmental Action Network.
15 (9) A member appointed by the GreenARMY.
16 (10) A member appointed by the Louisiana Chemical Association.
17 (11) A member appointed by the Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association.
18 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of the task force shall serve
19 without compensation, except per diem or expenses reimbursement to which they may be
20 entitled individually as members of their constituent organizations.
21 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the secretary of the Department of
22 Environmental Quality or her designee shall serve as chair of the task force and shall be
23 responsible for providing staff to assist the task force in performing its duties. The task force
24 shall convene its first meeting by August 1, 2024. At such meeting the task force shall adopt
25 rules of procedure, a work schedule, and any additional measures that it deems necessary for
26 the timely performance of its duties.
27 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall submit a written report of
28 its findings, conclusions, and recommendations to the House Committee on Natural
29 Resources and Environment and the Senate Committee on Environmental Quality on or
30 before February 15, 2025.
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1 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this report shall include the following:
2 (1) The effectiveness and benefits of real-time community air monitoring and
3 notification systems in alerting first responders, neighboring communities, and state
4 regulatory agencies of air pollution threats to public health.
5 (2) Costs required to install, operate, and maintain such systems.
6 (3) Information on the types of air pollutants emitted by facilities in the state with
7 Title V air permits, the public health impacts associated with those air pollutants, and the
8 costs associated with those public health impacts.
9 (4) Recommendations for implementing community air monitoring and notification
10 systems and the specific changes to law necessary for such implementation.
11 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
12 secretary of the Department of Environmental Quality, the secretary of the Louisiana
13 Department of Health, the secretary of the Department of Energy and Natural Resources, the
14 executive director of the Louisiana Environmental Action Network, and the GreenARMY.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Jacob K. Wilson.
DIGEST
SCR 30 Engrossed 2024 Regular Session Fields
Creates the Community Air Monitoring and Notification Task Force to study
implementation of community air monitoring and notification systems, including costs and
benefits to impacted communities.
Provides for membership of the task force to include:
(1)The secretary of the Department of Environmental Quality, or her designee.
(2)The assistant secretary of the office of public health, within the Louisiana
Department of Health, or her designee.
(3)The secretary of the Department of Energy and Natural Resources, or his designee.
(4)A member appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives.
(5)A member appointed by the president of the Senate.
(6)A member appointed by the chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources
and Environment.
(7)A member appointed by the chairman of the Senate Committee on Environmental
Quality.
(8)A member appointed by the Louisiana Environmental Action Network.
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SLS 24RS-1702 ENGROSSED
(9)A member appointed by the GreenARMY.
(10)A member appointed by the Louisiana Chemical Association.
(11)A member appointed by the Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association.
Provides for compensation of task force members, a chairperson, staffing, rules of procedure,
and scheduling of meetings.
Requires the task force submit a written report to the House Committee on Natural
Resources and Environment and Senate Committee on Environmental Quality on or before
February 15, 2025, including information on the effectiveness, benefits, and costs of
community air monitoring and notification systems, pollutants to be monitored,
recommendations for implementation, and changes to law necessary for such systems.
Summary of Amendments Adopted by Senate
Committee Amendments Proposed by Senate Committee on Environmental Quality
to the original bill
1. Create the Community Air Monitoring and Notification Task Force to study
implementation of air monitoring and notification systems, including costs
and benefits to impacted communities.
2. Provide for membership of the task force to include the secretary of DEQ,
assistant secretary of the office of public health, secretary of DENR, and
members appointed by the speaker of the house, president of the senate,
chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources and Environment,
chairman of the Senate Committee on Environmental Quality, Louisiana
Environmental Action Network, GreenARMY, Louisiana Chemical
Association, and Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association.
3. Provide for compensation of task force members, a chairperson, staffing,
rules of procedure, and meeting scheduling.
4. Provide for a task force report to include information on effectiveness,
benefits, and costs of systems, pollutants monitored, and implementation
recommendations.
5. Make technical changes.
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