The 19th Judicial District Court in Baton Rouge, Louisiana issued a decision on September 14, 2022, vacating a proposed industrial facility’s permit issued by the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (“LDEQ”) and finding that LDEQ violated the federal Clean Air Act and its duty under the Public Trust Doctrine.[1] Although the decision concerns

The general rule under Louisiana law has long been that any activity that results in emissions of air pollutants must obtain an air permit from the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) unless a specific exemption applies. There are a few broad statutory and regulatory exemptions, such as activities conducted on residential property (with minor