Air Issues in Louisiana

The Clean Air Act (CAA) establishes a number of permitting programs designed to carry out the goals of the act. Some of these programs are directly implemented by EPA's South Central Region (Region 6), but most are carried out by the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) Exit.

The LDEQ Air Permits DivisionEXit is responsible for preparing the following types of air permits:

• Part 70 (Title V) Operating,
• General Part 70 (Title V) Operating,
• Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD),
• Nonattainment New Source Review (NNSR),
• State (Minor Source),
• State Minor Source General Permit,
• Acid Rain (Title IV),
• Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR), and
• Regulatory.

Failure to Submit State Implementation Plans Required for Attainment of the 1-Hour Primary Sulfur Dioxide National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS)

EPA has issued findings that 11 states have failed to make State Implementation Plan submittals required under the Clean Air Act for areas that were designated as nonattainment for the 1-Hour Primary Sulfur Dioxide (SO₂) National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) in 2013.  The states affected by this notice are Arizona, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Montana, New Hampshire, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and West Virginia.

• Sulfur dioxide (SO₂) irritates the skin and mucous membranes. Exposure to persistent levels of SO₂ can affect health lung functioning and result in difficulty breathing, changes in the ability to breathe deeply, a tight feeling around the chest, or burning/inflammation of the eyes, nose, throat, and lungs.
• The effects of SO₂ are felt very quickly and most people feel the worst symptoms in 10 or 15 minutes after breathing it in.
• Those most at risk of developing problems if exposed are people with asthma or similar conditions.
• The EPA is working with states to identify areas of concern by setting a process and timetable under the Data Requirements Rule (DRR) to implement the 2010 1-hour SO₂ NAAQS. States can characterize current air quality in areas with large SO₂ sources or establish a federally enforceable emission limit. Air agencies have the flexibility to establish ambient monitoring sites or conduct air quality modeling, and to submit data to the EPA.
• More information about Sulphur Dioxide