[StBernard] St. Bernard Parish sulphur dioxide spikes lead to calls for better DEQ alerts

[Westley Annis]

St. Bernard Parish sulphur dioxide spikes lead to calls for better DEQ
alerts

By Benjamin Alexander-Bloch, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune 
on March 05, 2013 at 4:37 PM, updated March 05, 2013 at 4:38 PM Print

St. Bernard Parish sulphur dioxide levels once again spiked beyond federal
health standards on Monday (March 4) amid questions by some Chalmette
residents about the state environmental agency's ability to warn residents
when such air contamination occurs. Throughout the day, residents complained
on the Louisiana Bucket Brigade reporting page about odors and a need for a
better state Department of Environmental Quality alert system.

The DEQ's Chalmette Vista monitor, adjacent to the Rain CII petroleum coke
processing plant and the ExxonMobil Chalmette Refinery, showed readings
above the 75 parts per billion hourly sulphur dioxide standard during 11 of
the hours between 9 a.m. and midnight Monday. At its height, it hit 206
parts per billion sulphur dioxide at 10 p.m. Monday.

Studies have shown a connection between short-term exposure to sulphur
dioxide and increased visits to emergency departments and hospital
admissions for respiratory illnesses, particularly in at-risk populations
including children, the elderly and asthmatics, according to the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency.

Some residents suggested that better state alerts could create more
safeguards for local children, especially given nearby Chalmette Elementary
School and local parks.

Rodney Mallett, a DEQ spokesman, noted on Tuesday (March 5) that there are
"real-time readings on our website where people, such as the folks at the
school, can monitor for elevated levels of SO2 and take the necessary
precautions.

"That being said, we currently have staff working on a system where people
can go to our website, click on a button, type in their email address or
other information and receive notice," Mallett continued. "We think the
button on the website will make it more convenient for people to get
information and we are working to get this up and running."

A timetable for that new alert system's launch is not set, Mallett
explained, as the DEQ has "run into some technical difficulties that we are
trying to work out."

Representatives from Rain CII and the ExxonMobil Chalmette Refinery did not
return calls for comment on Tuesday morning. There have been many similar
days with area sulphur dioxide spikes since the beginning of the year. 

Last week, the DEQ announced a partnership with a group of the state's
petroleum refining and chemical manufacturing industries, in part to find
better strategies to minimize emissions.

A few weeks ago, the EPA told Gov. Bobby Jindal that it intends to formally
designate St. Bernard Parish as being out of compliance with sulphur dioxide
standards likely due to emissions from three large area plants - Rain CII,
the ExxonMobil Chalmette Refinery and Valero Energy Corp.'s Meraux refinery
farther east.

Such a designation, referred to as "nonattainment," means the state will
have to develop a remedy, likely requiring the parish's three main emitters
to cut back on such releases by creating more restrictive permits. The
nonattainment designation, which could last up to five years, also likely
would prevent new sulphur dioxide emitting businesses from coming into the
parish.