The following are the procedures used for reporting any spills or releases to the Single Point of Contact (SPOC) at the DEQ.

Emergency Conditions: (LAC 33:I.3915)

For all Emergency incidents, as defined in (LAC 33:I.3915), call Louisiana State Police at (225) 925-6595 as soon as possible within the first hour of the emergency.  There is no need to call the DEQ for any Emergency incident notification.  However, a written notification report by the facility to the DEQ is still required within seven calendar days after the initial reporting to the Louisiana State Police.

Non-Emergency Conditions: (LAC 33:I.3917)

A Prompt Notification, as defined in (LAC 33:I.3917), must be reported by a facility to SPOC within 24 hours upon discovering the unauthorized discharge or release.  There are three methods for reporting all non-emergency spills, releases, permit excursions, exceedances or complaints.

The first is the a verbal notification can be made by calling the DEQ Hotline at (225) 342-1234.  The DEQ-SPOC phone line is manned during working hours (M - F, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm). The DEQ-SPOC office line is (225) 219-3640. If calls are made after hours, leave a voice mail.

Another option for reporting is the Online Incident Reporting system. This function allows facilities to make reportable spills, releases, permit excursions and exceedances.   Simply follow the onscreen instructions and complete the necessary fields.  The onscreen user will receive a summary of the notification along with a confirmation tracking number which can be printed for a record of the notification. 

As a final alternative, a direct email may be used to contact the DEQ at the following address with the necessary information to make a spill, release notification or submit a complaint: spoc@LA.GOV.  (This option does not produce a confirmation.)

Written reports  (LAC 33:I.3925) should be mailed to:

Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality
Post Office Box 4312
Baton Rouge, LA 70821-4312
ATTENTION: EMEREGENCY AND RADIOLOGICAL SERVICES DIVISION - SPOC
"UNAUTHORIZED DISCHARGE NOTIFICATION REPORT"

Or, the Written Notification Report may be faxed to the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, Office of Environmental Compliance, Emergency and Radiological Services Division at: (225)-219-4044. 

Information Needed for Reporting Releases

When contacting SPOC about releases, please have the following information available:

• Your name and the name of your company
• The mailing address of your company
• The telephone number(s) where you can be reached
• The parish where the incident occurred
• The name of the responsible party
• The physical address/location of the incident
• The date that the release occurred
• The times when the release began and ended
• The product released and an estimated amount
• Description of how the product was released, along with any information on remedial actions
• Directions on how to reach the incident location

Any questions should be directed to the Emergency and Radiological Services Division, SPOC Section at spoc@LA.GOV.

Information Needed for Permit Excursions

When contacting SPOC about permit excursions, please have the following information available:

• Your name and the name of your company
• The permit number
• The physical address/location of the excursion
• The mailing address of your company.
• The name of the responsible party
• The telephone number(s) where you can be reached
• The name of the receiving water(s)
• The parish where the incident occurred
• The date of the excursion
• The outfall number (ex. 001, 002, etc.)
• The parameter exceeded
• The permitted limit on the exceeded parameter
• The reported value of the parameter
• Reason for the excursion
• Steps taken to prevent future occurrences

Any questions should be directed to the Emergency and Radiological Services Division, SPOC Section at spoc@LA.GOV.