Office of Environmental Compliance

Physical Address
602 North 5th Street
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70802 (225) 219-3710 (tel) (225) 219-3708 (fax)
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 4312
Baton Rouge, LA 70821-4312

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Mission

The OEC establishes a multimedia compliance approach that creates consistency across all compliance activities, assigns accountability and responsibility to the appropriate parties, and provides standardized response training for potential responders. By ensuring a uniform system and clear expectations, the OEC supports vigorous and timely resolution of enforcement actions, strengthening regulatory compliance and protecting environmental quality throughout Louisiana. The mission of the environmental compliance program is the ensure the public and occupational welfare of the people and environmental resources of Louisiana by conducting inspections of permitted facilities and activities, responding to environmental emergencies and issuing sound enforcement actions. The program establishes a multi-media compliance approach; creates a uniform approach to compliance; assigns accountability and responsibility to the appropriate parties; provides standardized radioactive material training to compliance; and provides for the execution and timely resolution of activities.

Jerry Lang

Assistant Secretary

Jerry Lang was named Assistant Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) Office of Environmental Compliance in March 2024. Lang has been with LDEQ since 2014, beginning his tenure in the water surveys section. In 2015, he transferred to the Emergency Response Section (ER) and was promoted to ER Supervisor, and has served as the Emergency and Radiological Services Division Administrator since. Prior to joining LDEQ, Lang worked at LSU as a research associate, a supervisor in research and development in the private sector, and served at the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries as a fisheries biologist. A native of Hattiesburg, MS, he graduated from LSU with a Bachelor of Science degree in renewable natural resources.

Divisions

The Emergency and Radiological Services Division (ERSD) responds to chemical and environmental emergencies and oversees administrative services for radiation sources. ERSD established the Single Point of Contact (SPOC) to receive and route public reports of spills and complaints, ensuring timely response by Emergency Response (ER) teams or Surveillance inspectors. ER monitors incidents involving chemical releases or potential threats to public health, reviews cleanup activities, and ensures the protection of Louisiana’s citizens and environment. The Chemical Accident Prevention Program (CAPP) inspects high risk facilities to verify maintenance, response resources, trained personnel, and up-to-date plans are in place to prevent catastrophic releases. The Radiological Emergency Planning & Response (REP&R) program coordinates training to meet Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) requirements for nuclear power plants and prepares first responders for potential radiation exposure. In addition, the Radiation program licenses and inspects all radioactive sources in Louisiana, which are widely used in medical and industrial applications such as disease treatment, structural inspections, and pipeline maintenance; the program also certifies radiographers to safely handle radioactive sources. Together, these programs ensure that Louisiana is prepared to respond quickly and effectively to environmental and radiological emergencies, protecting both public health and the state’s natural resources.

Kevin Borne

Division Administrator

Borne received a Bachelor of Science from Louisiana State University. Since joining LDEQ in 2012, Borne has worked in the Emergency & Radiological Services Division as an Emergency Responder and Environmental Scientist Manager until he became Division Administrator in April of 2024.

The Enforcement Division ensures compliance with Louisiana’s environmental laws and regulations and deters future violations through the issuance of timely and appropriate enforcement actions. The Division works to protect human health and the state’s natural resources by reviewing inspection reports, holding violators accountable, issuing penalties, maintaining compliance databases, and providing expertise in negotiating, litigating, and settling cases. Enforcement efforts also focus on raising awareness of environmental compliance and prioritizing cases that pose the greatest risk to human health or the environment, ensuring swift mitigation of any damage caused by non-compliance. The Office of Environmental Enforcement enforces compliance with Louisiana's environmental laws and regulations through a variety of enforcement measures. The goal is to ensure every business, facility, organization and individual within the state of Louisiana is achieving environmental compliance through their work practices.

Angela Marse

Administrator

Marse received a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and Master of Science in Environmental Planning and Management from Louisiana State University. She has over 20 years experience in the environmental field. Marse has been with the Department for 18 years in various roles including scientist, supervisor, and manager in both permitting and enforcement.

The Surveillance Division of the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) inspects facilities for compliance with permits, regulations, and enforcement actions; responds to and investigates incidents and complaints; and conducts media sampling to protect environmental quality across the state. Authorized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to administer and enforce federal statutes for air, water, and hazardous waste, the Division carries out inspections that generate meaningful data to promote compliance with state and federal mandates. Surveillance staff collaborate with other state agencies, provide compliance assistance to small and medium facilities, and respond to citizen reports, upset/release notifications, and referrals from partner agencies. The Division also conducts statewide ambient water monitoring under the Clean Water Act to ensure adequate data is available for setting water quality standards related to recreation, fishing, and drinking water supplies. This information is shared with the Water Planning and Assessment Division, the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, and the Department of Health’s Drinking Water Program, supporting informed decisionmaking and stronger environmental protection for Louisiana’s communities.

Brian Tusa

Division Administrator

Tusa joined the LDEQ in 1994 as an inspector in Solid Waste Division. During his 30 year career with LDEQ, he gained experience as a multi-media inspector, supervisor, manager, and administrator in the Surveillance Division. Tusa holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in environmental management systems from Louisiana State University.