Upcoming Events and Trainings

LDEQ Brownfields Program Events

Event: North Louisiana Introduction to Incremental Development Lecture

Date: September 29, 2026

Time: 5:30-8:00 PM CT

Location:  Ruston Civic Center, 401 North Trenton Street, Ruston, LA 71270 

Join Incremental Development Alliance, Louisiana Main Street, the City of Ruston, and LDEQ's Brownfields Program for an engaging introduction to incremental development—the traditional pattern that created America's most beloved neighborhoods through small, locally driven projects built one step at a time. Whether you're interested in becoming a small-scale developer, restoring a building in your own downtown, or are a local leader looking to encourage better growth in your community, this FREE public lecture will explore how our development systems changed after World War II and what practical alternatives exist today. You'll discover how incremental development can lower risk, rebuild local ownership, and create more adaptable, resilient communities—one small project at a time.

This event is free and open to the public. After the presentation concludes, we'll host a lively conversation between IncDev faculty and local developers, planners, and leaders working to build capacity and wealth across the North Louisiana region.

 This event is free but regsitration is required. Register Today! 

Upcoming Brownfield Partner Events

Event: Louisiana Trust for Historic Presevation's Fall 2026 Ramble

Date: October 3, 2026

Time: 9:30am-3:45pm CT

Location:  Check-in at Village of Fisher Opera House

The Louisiana Trust for Historic Preservation's Fall Ramble will include a visit to one of LDEQ's current Brownfield sites, Sabine High School! Sabine High School was a 2020 Most Endangered Place, and is now being restored as a Community Space and Food Pantry, among other things to serve the area. The Fall Ramble will also visit over a dozen sites of cultural and archtectural significance througout Many and Sabine Parish. The group will travel caravan style through the tour, and you may join or leave the tour at any time. Visit the Fall 2026 Ramble page for further event details and ticket information. 

LDEQ Past Events & Recordings

Event: U.S. EPA Brownfields Grant Writing Strategies

Date: August 26th and 27th, 2025

This two-day workshop presented by Kansas State University's Technical Assistance to Brownfields Program (KSU TAB)  provides informative information to equip you with the knowledge and tools needed to write a successful EPA Brownfields grant proposal. The presentations and recordings of this two-day workshop can be found HERE. 

Event: Reimagining the Ride: Brownfields and Active Transportation

Date: February 26, 2025

This two-part webinar presented by KSU TAB and partner Laneshift focused on ideas and solutions for communities struggling with a lack of transportation and connectivity. This webinar showed participants how active transportation plays a crucial role in creating healthier, more vibrant communities and how to seamlessly integrate transportation projects with brownfield projects. A recording of the webinar can be found HERE. 

Event: StoryMaps Webinar: Conveying your Brownfields Story

Date: Wednesday, April 21, 2021

Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yh7U1Am_QDU&list=PLYftmUkuzbWBjX6BcSbGuPInBDtIADJo3&index=1 

Looking for an effective way to communicate your Brownfields Program to community groups, elected officials, and other Brownfields stakeholders? Join our dynamic panel discussion with three successful Brownfields Programs that have effectively employed StoryMaps to engage their community and promote their programs. Learn how this tool can help build momentum for your Brownfields Program and market your resources to developers and community organizations to facilitate the reuse of blighted properties.

Featured Panelists:

• Savannah Richards, New Mexico Environmental Department – StoryMap
• Madeline Dillner, Oklahoma Corporation Commission - StoryMap
• Alicia Wiltz, Acadiana Planning Commission 

Event: 2021 RECAP Training Series: Webinar No. 1: Soil Sampling Best Practices

Date: Tuesday, June 8, 2021

Recording: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYftmUkuzbWDvLqDDtMUVSJQmbQfnCrAe  

Join Keith Horn, Senior Environmental Scientist with LDEQ's Remediation Division, as he outlines soil sampling best practices for RECAP investigations, including common soil sampling issues and RECAP requirements that apply to soil sampling events. Learn how to ensure your sampling events conform to DEQ’s regulations and properly characterize your site to facilitate future development. 

Event: 2021 RECAP Training Series: Webinar No. 2: Back to Basics

Date: Tuesday, July 13, 2021

Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uD1UGoK9n4g&list=PLYftmUkuzbWDvLqDDtMUVSJQmbQfnCrAe&index=2  

Join Dr. June Sutherlin, Toxicologist, for this informative presentation on LDEQ's Risk Evaluation/Corrective Action Program (RECAP) where she'll lay the groundwork for RECAP-compliant investigations and reports with special attention to data analysis. Don't miss this opportunity to come up to speed on RECAP or sharpen your existing RECAP skills with this extended training! 

Event: 2021 RECAP Training Series: Webinar No. 3: Developing an Effective Sampling Plan

Date: Tuesday, August 10, 2021

Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gw3VGn8pKls&list=PLYftmUkuzbWDvLqDDtMUVSJQmbQfnCrAe&index=3

LDEQ Environmental Senior Scientist Keith Horn will review how to effectively develop a sampling plan for a RECAP investigation. Join this interactive webinar to ensure your sampling event meets LDEQ requirements to reduce the cost and time it takes to resample a site.

Event: 2021 RECAP Training Series: Webinar No. 4: Common Mistakes, Misconceptions, & Compliance Issues

Date: Tuesday, October 12, 2021

Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6O9QcDAhWSw&list=PLYftmUkuzbWDvLqDDtMUVSJQmbQfnCrAe&index=4  

Looking for ways to facilitate the review and approval of your RECAP submittals? Attend this webinar where Dr. June Sutherlin, Toxicologist, will review some of the common mistakes, misconceptions, and compliance issues with RECAP investigations and report submittals. Ensure your work plans and reports check all of LDEQ's boxes!  

Event: 2021 RECAP Training Series: Webinar No. 5: The Ins and Outs of the VRP

Date: Tuesday, November 9, 2021

Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2-aJdSjnhM&list=PLYftmUkuzbWDvLqDDtMUVSJQmbQfnCrAe&index=5 

LDEQ's Voluntary Remediation Program (VRP) is a useful tool to facilitate the cleanup of sites throughout Louisiana. Join Jennifer Schatzle, LDEQ's Brownfields and VRP Technical Liaison, for an overview of the VRP including:

• How is the VRP different from a traditional investigation?
• What sites would benefit from the VRP?
• What are the advantages and considerations of enrolling a site into the VRP?
• Who's eligible to apply?  

Recordings of Past Events: 

 Brownfields Partner Events

Have a Brownfields-related event in Louisiana you would like included in our newsletter? Email event information to Brownfields@la.gov.