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Marisa Del Turco

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Marisa Del Turco is an associate in the Litigation Practice Group. She can be reached at mdelturco@joneswalker.com or 504.582.8165.

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Double exposure of Hurricane Ida approaching New Orleans on August 29, 2021.
Brian McGowan, Unsplash

As hurricanes pose increasing threats to Louisiana’s industrial infrastructure, it is essential for industry managers and executives to understand the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality’s (LDEQ) emergency declaration process. These declarations are not merely procedural — they carry significant operational, regulatory, and environmental implications for Louisiana industry.

LDEQ may issue an emergency declaration in anticipation of, or immediately following, a major weather event such as a hurricane. This action is typically coordinated with the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness and other state and federal agencies. The declaration is based on expected or actual disruptions that could affect facility operations, public safety, environmental protection, and access to resources.Continue Reading Storm Ready, Rule Steady: What To Know About LDEQ’s Emergency Declarations in the Face of Hurricane Season

Every spring the Mississippi River floods, but the downtown area of Davenport Iowa refuses to build a levee system to hold the waters back. It would block the river view. Some years the waters come several blocks up the banks and flood out local businesses.
Kelly Sikkema, Unsplash

The devastating floods that struck Texas in July provide an example of how emergency management and intergovernmental coordination operate under extreme conditions. As torrential rainfall triggered catastrophic flooding across multiple counties beginning on July 2, the response highlighted disaster response systems at the county, state, and federal levels.

The emergency response began at the state level with proactive measures, marked by warnings to state emergency response teams to be prepared. On July 2, the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) activated state emergency response resources in anticipation of increased flooding threats in parts of West and Central Texas. As conditions worsened, TDEM escalated its response on July 3, increasing the readiness level of the Texas State Emergency Operations Center to Level II (escalated response) and activating additional state emergency response resources as portions of West and Central Texas prepared for continued heavy rainfall and potential flash flooding.Continue Reading Texas Floods Emergency Response: A Review of Intergovernmental Emergency Coordination