[CPEO-BIF] Local hiring in Louisiana

[Lenny Siegel <lsiegel@cpeo.org>]

News Release
Hurricane Response Incident Command Post, Metairie, La. 
January 10, 2006

For more information, contact Cynthia Fanning (EPA), 504-731-8680 or
Chad Saylor (USCG), 252-267-3662 or Darin Mann (DEQ), 225-219-0860

More than Half of Hazardous Materials Responders in Louisiana Are Local Hires

Metairie, La. ? According to data current through Dec. 24, 2005, the
Unified Command of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Coast
Guard and the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality has a
workforce of 1,004 people in southern Louisiana assisting in hazardous
materials response and removal. Of those, 550 workers were hired from
the local workforce. 

?I am pleased to provide opportunities for local people to participate
in Louisiana?s recovery,? EPA Regional Administrator Richard E. Greene
said. ?We benefit from local workers? knowledge of the area, the workers
contribute to Louisiana?s economy, and families help the area continue
the return to normal. It?s a win-win for everyone.? 

Most local hiring has been done by environmental contractors and
subcontractors employed by the Unified Command. Some workers are helping
collect household hazardous waste, processing white goods, and preparing
electronic waste for recycling. Others are retrieving orphan containers
from delicate wetlands and marshes. Some are scientists and technicians
helping keep environmental information up to date. Total workforce
numbers vary from day to day as response needs change. 

The response effort also supports Louisiana?s businesses. One contractor
has used local firms and services to provide equipment and supplies. To
date, its purchases total more than $1.1 million. Contractor employees
working with hazardous materials receive health and safety training,
which can be a valuable resume-builder. In addition, about 60 people are
employed by a woman-owned small business. 

As of Jan. 5, the response has disposed more than 5.8 million pounds of
hazardous waste and collected more than 1.4 million containers. Workers
have extracted Freon from almost 226,000 white goods (such as
refrigerators, freezers and air conditioners). More than 96,000 pieces
of electronic waste such as TVs, computers and stereos have been
collected. We are recycling as much of this material as possible. 

Contractors who wish to know how EPA handles hurricane vendor inquiries
should visit www.epa.gov/Katrina/vendors.html. For more information
about the hurricane response efforts, please visit
http://www.epa.gov/katrina/, http://www.deq.louisiana.gov/, or
http://www.uscgstormwatch.com/go/site/1008/. 



-- 


Lenny Siegel
Director, Center for Public Environmental Oversight
c/o PSC, 278-A Hope St., Mountain View, CA 94041
Voice: 650/961-8918 or 650/969-1545
Fax: 650/961-8918
<lsiegel@cpeo.org>
http://www.cpeo.org
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