On August 12, 2016, the Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality issued an Emergency Administrative Order to provide relief from otherwise applicable state-issued environmental permit terms and rules in order to manage the situations created by the unprecedented flooding in southern Louisiana. The Order is available here.  The Order applies to the same parishes that the Governor has declared to be within the emergency area:  Ascension, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberia, Iberville, Lafayette, Livingston, St. Helena, St. James, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Washington and West Baton Rouge.  It is effective until 11:59 p.m. on September 12, 2016.

Past experience has indicated that these types of emergency orders are often amended to cover additional areas, extend the time period, or to add other relief.

This link summarizes the key provisions of the Order:  Key Provisions – Emergency Administrative Order.

Note that this Order applies only to state issued permits and regulations.  For further information on any updates to the Order, click here.