An Oil Well in Reverse: Smitty’s hopes to inject liquid waste into a landfill in Jefferson Parish

This week on Behind The Lens, oily waste from the Smitty’s Supply fire in August has until now been stored and recycled at other sites, but an emergency exemption from the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality has granted the operator of the facility the ability to bring some of the liquid and solid waste to a Jefferson Parish landfill. In its approval letter, a spokesperson said the waste from Smitty’s Supply “will have no significant adverse impact on the public health, safety, welfare, and the environment.”

The Louisiana Department of Education released school performance scores and New Orleans received a ‘B’ letter grade for the first time since state schools returned to local control after Hurricane Katrina. The majority of city schools earned a C and the city still struggles with tests scores, though students are showing a lot of growth. See our breakdown for full results and easily searchable school grades.

Our guests this week are Wesley Muller from the Louisiana Illuminator and Lens reporter Marta Jewson. 

Theme music by Podington Bear. Additional music Bated Breath by Podington Bear soundofpicture.com. 

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Carolyne Heldman

Carolyne Heldman has been in media for 35 years, most recently as Executive Director at an NPR member station in Colorado where she was responsible for new multi-platform content initiatives, strategic planning, research, branding, and non-traditional revenue generation. During her tenure she also created and launched four weekly news, public affairs and cultural affairs programs and monthly live Town Hall broadcasts. Heldman moved to New Orleans last summer with her husband and canine companion and they live happily in The Marigny.