Tom Harris, M.S.P.H. Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality Underground Storage Tank and Remediation Division More information on symposium: http://superfund.oregonstate.edu/LSUSymposium1.13

1. An Environmental
Overview of
Hurricane Katrina –
Regulatory
Perspectives
Tom Harris, M.S.P.H.
Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality
Underground Storage Tank and Remediation
Division

2. SEARCH AND RESCUE
Louisiana
Department of
Environmental
Quality
• Teaming with the Louisiana Sheriffs’ Association, LDEQ employees
aided in the rescue of approximately 480 people from the hurricane
affected area.

3. ENVIRONMENTAL SAMPLING
AND ASSESSMENT:
Water Sampling - New Orleans Area
Louisiana
Department of
Environmental
Quality
o

4. FLOODWATER SAMPLING:
New Orleans Area Sampling
o 690 floodwater samples taken
Louisiana
Department of
Environmental
Quality
o 192 compounds analyzed per each sample
o Volatile and semi-volatile organics,metals,
pesticides, herbicides, PCBs & petroleum
hydrocarbons
o Floodwater sample results were compared to
Lifetime Drinking Water Standards!!!

5. ENVIRONMENTAL SAMPLING
AND ASSESSMENT:
New Orleans Floodwaters -Toxic Soup?
Louisiana
Department of
Environmental
Quality
There was never any “toxic soup”
in the floodwaters of New Orleans

6. HISTORIC STORMWATER DISCHARGE
vs. FLOODWATER DISCHARGE:
Concentration Levels In Floodwaters
Louisiana
Department of
Environmental
Quality
• Post-Katrina floodwaters were pumped into canals
and then discharged to Lake Pontchartrain
• These floodwater discharge concentrations were
compared to historical permitted discharge
monitoring reports for stormwater
• Comparison of maximum detected results
revealed very little difference between historical
norms and post-Katrina levels

7. ENVIRONMENTAL SAMPLING AND ASSESSMENT:
Surface Waters-Lake Pontchartrain and surrounding waters
Louisiana
Department of
Environmental
Quality
• Used 49 historic water quality sites
plus 9 new sites to assess impacts
to area water bodies
• Conducted more than 55,000
analyses for water quality
• Conducted biotoxicity testing on
floodwaters pumped into the lake

8. ENVIRONMENTAL SAMPLING
AND ASSESSMENT:
Surface Waters-Canal Outfalls
Louisiana
Department of
Environmental
Quality
• No toxicity was observed
in 100 tests results of fish larvae
• 7 out of 100 test results for
invertebrates indicated toxicity (3 canal sites)
• Retesting at the 3 canal sites has shown no
further toxicity levels
• All other parameters at or near normal

9. ENVIRONMENTAL SAMPLING AND ASSESSMENT:
Sediments
Louisiana
Department of
Environmental
Quality
• Considerable sampling and analysis of sediments
deposited throughout the flooded areas was done
to address public health concerns

10. Sediment/Soil Sampling in
Katrina Flooded Areas
o
Louisiana
Department of
Environmental
o
Quality
o
o
Joint effort among USEPA, LDEQ,
CDC, ATSDR, LDHH and the N.O.
Health Department
Over 2500 soil/sediment samples
collected
Samples analyzed for over 200
chemicals
Tiered approach with multiple
phases

11. Phase I Sediment Sampling
o
Sampling began as floodwaters
receded
Louisiana
Department of
Environmental
o
Quality
o
450 biased samples were collected
to identify possible releases
Samples were collected from
sediments with stains or odors and
from curbs/storm drains and
drainage paths

12. Louisiana
Department of
Environmental
Quality

13. Louisiana
Department of
Environmental
Quality

14. Louisiana
Department of
Environmental
Quality

15. Louisiana
Department of
Environmental
Quality

16. Louisiana
Department of
Environmental
Quality

17. Phase II Sediment Sampling
o
Objective - more extensively
characterize chemical nature of
sediment in areas with heavy deposits
o
9th Ward and St. Bernard Parish
(excluding the area impacted by the
Murphy Oil spill)
o
282 samples collected
o
Compared to protective residential
standards
Louisiana
Department of
Environmental
Quality

18. Louisiana
Department of
Environmental
Quality

19. Louisiana
Department of
Environmental
Quality

20. Phase III Focused Sampling
o
43 sample locations out of 770 taken
from earlier phases identified as
localized areas that may require
additional evaluation
o
Arsenic, Lead or Benzo(a)pyrene
o
The neighborhood around the
Thompson-Hayward site was also
identified for further evaluation due to
local concerns
Louisiana
Department of
Environmental
Quality

21. Phase III Focused Sampling
o
To determine if elevated levels were
isolated or representative of a larger
area
o
~10 composite samples within a
500’ radius of each of the 43 original
sample locations
o
Compared results to long-term
Residential Standards (30 year,
children)
Louisiana
Department of
Environmental
Quality

22. Louisiana
Department of
Environmental
Quality

23. Phase III Findings - Arsenic
o
Louisiana
No Phase III arsenic samples
concentration were above residential
levels
Department of
Environmental
o
Quality
o
Arsenic concentrations are not expected
to cause health impacts to children or
adults in a residential setting
No follow-up is necessary for arsenic

24. Phase III - Benzo(a)pyrene
o
Louisiana
Department of
Environmental
Quality
o
o
One composite sample in the Agriculture
Street landfill area exceeded EPA’s
acceptable risk range for B(a)P assuming
long-term residential exposure.
All other Phase III samples were below
residential levels
Not a widespread problem, limited to a
very small soil area – HANO to address
soil as part of property redevelopment.

25. Phase III - Thompson-Hayward
o
Louisiana
Department of
Environmental
o
Quality
o
9 composite samples taken in the
surrounding neighborhood
Analyzed for complete spectrum of
pesticides, no results exceeded residential
levels
Results indicated no adverse health
effects for long-term residential exposure.

26. Phase III - Lead
o
Louisiana
Department of
o
Environmental
Quality
o
o
Lead concentrations exceeded residential
screening levels in 57 of 147 composite
samples where lead had been detected in
earlier samples
Samples results ranged from below 400
mg/kg to 3960 mg/kg
Results are consistent with historical levels
in New Orleans, with national studies and
are not hurricane related.
Detailed chemical analysis determined the
source of lead contamination in these
areas to be lead based paint

27. Louisiana
Department of
Environmental
Quality

28. Lead Issues
o
Louisiana
Department of
Environmental
Quality
o
Need to address the source of lead:
housing stock built prior to 1978
USEPA, LDEQ, LDHH and City Health
Department are working together to
address lead issues.

29. Summary
o
o
Louisiana
Department of
Environmental
Quality
o
o
More than 2,500 New Orleans area
sediment samples were collected and
analyzed for a wide variety of chemicals
Soil chemistry post-Katrina was little
changed from pre-Katrina conditions, and
levels of contaminants are similar to other
older urban centers around the country.
Other than pre-existing lead in areas with
older housing, soils in New Orleans do not
pose health risk to residents, children or
sensitive sub-populations.
Scientists from USEPA, CDC, ATSDR, LDHH
and LDEQ worked together in this data
assessment.

30. Louisiana
Department of
Environmental
Quality
Questions?

31. Louisiana Superdome
Louisiana
Department of
Environmental
Quality

32. Downtown
New Orleans
Louisiana
Department of
Environmental
Quality

33. Louisiana
Department of
Environmental
Quality

34. Louisiana
Department of
Environmental
Quality

35. I-10 Twin Span
Slidell, La
Louisiana
Department of
Environmental
Quality

36. Louisiana
Department of
Environmental
Quality

37. St Bernard Parish
Louisiana
Department of
Environmental
Quality

38. Louisiana
Department of
Environmental
Quality

39. Louisiana
Department of
Environmental
Quality

40. Louisiana
Department of
Environmental
Quality

41. Plaquemines Parish
Louisiana
Department of
Environmental
Quality

42. Bass Oil Spill
Louisiana
Department of
Environmental
Quality

43. Louisiana
Department of
Environmental
Quality

44. Louisiana
Department of
Environmental
Quality

45. Hurricane Rita
September 23, 2005
SW Louisiana

46. Louisiana
Department of
Environmental
Quality
Cameron, La

47. Louisiana
Department of
Environmental
Quality

48. Louisiana
Department of
Environmental
Quality
Creole, La

49. Holly Beach Before
Louisiana
Department of
Environmental
Quality

50. Holly Beach After
Louisiana
Department of
Environmental
Quality

51. Louisiana
Department of
Environmental
Quality

52. Louisiana
Department of
Environmental
Quality

53. Louisiana
Department of
Environmental
Quality

54. Louisiana
Department of
Environmental
Quality
Abbeville, La

55. Louisiana
Department of
Environmental
Quality

56. Louisiana
Department of
Environmental
Quality

57. Tom Harris
Louisiana
Department of
Environmental
Quality
Division Administrator
tom.harris@la.gov
(225) 219-3716
Baton Rouge, Louisiana