HJNO Mar/Apr 2021

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS I  MAR / APR 2021 25 pointed out that inspectors fill out a field inter- view form during the inspection that is left at the facility, and that copies are signed by both the inspectors and facility employees. But the audit report pointed out that the DEQ had to notify both the state legislative auditor and the EPA’s inspector general that a former employee had falsified at least three compliance investigations. The facilities involved were not named in the report. A spokesman for the DEQ said the skipped inspections were the fault of an employee who left the agency before they were discovered. In his response included in the audit, Brown said DEQ is developing its own software to al- low the staff to better track violations. When complete, it should also issue notices to staff- ers if reports aren’t submitted on time or if a new violation shows up in a company’s records. Brown did not say when the software would be ready. Other findings of the audit include: • The DEQ should vary when it inspects fa- cilities so the inspections are less predict- able. DEQ agreed. • DEQ should develop goals for how long it should take to issue enforcement ac- tions and track their progress. Again, DEQ agreed. • DEQ should establish a process requiring facilities to submit settlement offers within a certain time frame, such as six months, and draft a penalty amount for those who do not comply. This recommendation is aimed at shortening the time between when a company is notified of a penalty and when the agency issues a final pen- alty decision, a span that now often lasts several years. DEQ mostly agreed, but it pointed out that compliance orders and notices of potential penalty are subject to appeal, which can delay the process. • DEQ management should determine whether staffing levels are sufficient and, if not, should request funding for additional staff. DEQ agreed to consider moving staff within its divisions, but said requesting more money was likely to be a problem. The Legislative Auditor’s office has produced a podcast explaining the highlights of its report for members of the Legislature. n “In 2018, Louisiana had an average of 1,239 pounds of toxic air releases per square mile. Ohio, the state with the second-highest air emissions rate, averaged 899 pounds per square mile.” —Louisiana Legislative audit, based on TRI data