Louisiana committee hears update on Temple-Inland mill fish kill; fine looms [From the web]

NEW ORLEANS , Sept. 12, 2011 (Times-Picayune) - State senators on the Committee on Environmental Quality on Wednesday warned state environmental officials to more closely monitor the results from the fish kill that occurred in the Pearl River in mid-August, as well as the penalties and improvements that could be faced by the paper mill that caused the kill.

The committee met Wednesday night to hear state, parish and private officials update conditions on the Pearl River after the fish kill. Its members directed their warnings and concerns mainly to the state departments of Environmental Quality, Health and Hospitals, and Wildlife and Fisheries.

Officials from those departments presented test results that echo results from preliminary tests: The "black liquor" released into the river depleted the oxygen, which killed thousands of fish but did not pose any danger to humans.

DEQ officials also said tests confirmed that a more recent, smaller fish kill was caused by Tropical Storm Lee, and not Temple-Inland, the paper mill that released the fish-killing chemical.

Times-Picayune/Nola.com - Fish kill effects, penalties must be monitored, state officials warn

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