Insufficient Air Quality Monitoring

Louisiana's air quality monitoring is primarily managed by the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ), which operates only four stationary monitoring sites in all of Southwest Louisiana (SWLA). These monitors are supposed to measure compliance with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) as mandated by the federal Clean Air Act. However, given SWLA's vast and diverse landscape, this limited amount of monitors is insufficient to measure nuanced air quality variations experienced by SWLA communities, especially those situated near industrial hubs.

The stationary nature of LDEQ's monitoring network means that significant swaths of populated areas lack real-time air quality monitoring. This is particularly concerning given SWLA's high concentration of petrochemical facilities and the associated health risks of air pollution. As a result, communities in these areas often experience pollution events that go undetected by distant monitors, leaving residents uninformed and unprotected.

In response to LDEQ's shortcomings, individuals and community organizations like Micah 6:8 Mission are operating their own air quality monitors to inform and protect the community. These monitors monitor more pollutants continuously than all the LDEQ monitors in the area combined. However, a Louisiana state law was enacted last year that effectively prohibits the consideration of community air quality data in LDEQ decision-making and enforcement activity, which is needed if petrochemical facilities are going to be held accountable for harmful pollution events .

We must urge the Louisiana legislature to change this law to allow for community-based air quality data. Neighboring states have successfully partnered with community groups to carry out air quality monitoring work and theres no reason for Louisiana to turn a blind eye to accurate and comprehensive community data. Our community's health depends on it.