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Louisiana House bill aims to stamp out open burning of explosives

A pair of Louisiana House lawmakers has filed a bill that would ban open burning of explosive material statewide.

Rep. Gene Reynolds of Minden had a lead role in negotiating an alternative, safer disposal for tons of M6 stockpiled at Camp Minden. He hopes to take that environmental win further.

Reynolds says House Bill 11 does two things: prohibit open burning statewide -- even on military bases, and close loopholes that would allow the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality to permit it.

“What I’m trying to do is get this stuff out of the air all over the state. For many, many years we’ve been the dumping ground for every kind of chemical you can possibly imagine. It’s time to stop it. That was my only motivation,” Reynolds said.

Rep. Terry Brown of Colfax coauthored the bill. This comes as the firm Clean Harbors Colfax LLC seeks a permit to more than triple the amount of toxic waste it can openly burn at its 700-acre facility, not far from where Brown lives.

“I live approximately 14 miles away. Some days it sounds like a small war outside. You’d think people were deer hunting. It sounds like big, high-powered rifles and my windows rattle,” Brown said.

This bill is not an attempt to put Clean Harbors Colfax out of business, according to Brown. If it passes, the company would need to put filters on equipment and stop open burning in fields.

“It’s just like going out and setting a fire in the middle of a parking lot somewhere. All the surrounding areas are going to get the residual ash from this fire. When you burn chemicals, that is exactly what happens,” Brown said. “Residual ash and residue fall on the forest, gardens, houses and people.”

Reynolds expects pushback on the bill, but he says Gov.-elect John Bel Edwards is supportive of it. The 2016 legislative session begins March 14. 

Chuck Smith brings more than 30 years' broadcast and media experience to Red River Radio. He began his career as a radio news reporter and transitioned to television journalism and newsmagazine production. Chuck studied mass communications at Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia and motion picture / television production at the University of California at Los Angeles. He has also taught writing for television at York Technical College in Rock Hill, South Carolina and video / film production at Centenary College of Louisiana, Shreveport.
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