HR 225

ENROLLED
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 225
BY REPRESENTATIVE ECHOLS
  A RESOLUTION
To urge and request the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, the Governor's
        Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, the Ouachita Parish
        Police Jury, and the municipalities within Ouachita Parish to jointly study a
        parish-wide solid waste, debris removal, and disaster resiliency service model; to
        evaluate consolidation of services; to explore public-private partnerships and funding
        mechanisms; and to report findings and recommendations to the Legislature of
        Louisiana.
        WHEREAS, Ouachita Parish includes multiple municipalities and unincorporated
areas currently utilizing separate solid waste collection, debris removal, and cleanup
systems, resulting in fragmented services, inefficiencies, and inconsistent disaster response
capacity; and
        WHEREAS, Louisiana routinely experiences hurricanes, floods, ice storms,
tornadoes, and other natural disasters that generate massive volumes of storm debris
requiring rapid and coordinated removal and disposal which often must also comply with
procedures of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); and
        WHEREAS, parish-wide coordination of trash service, vegetative debris collection,
construction and demolition waste management, and emergency cleanup operations can
improve efficiency, reduce taxpayer costs, enhance resiliency, and expedite disaster
recovery; and
        WHEREAS, many communities across the United States have successfully
implemented consolidated solid waste authorities or regional service districts that provide
one-stop shop solutions for routine trash service, disaster debris response, recycling, landfill
operations, and mitigation planning; and
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HR NO. 225  ENROLLED
       WHEREAS, a unified parish-wide approach could strengthen emergency
preparedness, improve FEMA reimbursement compliance, create economies of scale, and
allow for long-term infrastructure investments such as debris staging areas, transfer stations,
recycling centers, and hardened landfill facilities; and
       WHEREAS, resilient waste and debris management systems are a critical component
of public health, environmental protection, economic recovery, and infrastructure stability
during and after disasters.
       THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the
Legislature of Louisiana does hereby urge and request the Department of Environmental
Quality, the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, the
Ouachita Parish Police Jury, and all incorporated municipalities within Ouachita Parish to
collaboratively conduct a comprehensive study to address parish-wide consolidation of
services, disaster debris management and FEMA compliance, resiliency and infrastructure
improvements, and governance and funding models.
       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the study of consolidation of services shall
include consideration of the following:
       (1) Centralized residential and commercial trash collection.
       (2) Parish-wide debris hauling and disposal contracts.
       (3) Unified billing and service administration models.
       (4) Cost savings and rate stabilization impacts.
       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the study of disaster debris management and
FEMA compliance shall include consideration of the following:
       (1) Pre-event debris removal contracts.
       (2) Designated debris management and staging sites.
       (3) FEMA documentation protocols.
       (4) Rapid deployment cleanup frameworks.
       (5) Public-private partnership opportunities.
       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the study of resiliency and infrastructure
improvements shall include consideration of the following:
       (1) Hardened landfill and transfer station planning.
       (2) Recycling and waste diversion systems.
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HR NO. 225  ENROLLED
       (3) Storm surge and flood-resistant facilities.
       (4) Long-term mitigation strategies eligible for federal funding.
       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the study of governance and funding models
shall include consideration of the following:
       (1) Parish-wide waste authorities or service districts.
       (2) Intergovernmental agreements.
       (3) User-fee structures.
       (4) FEMA, Environmental Protection Agency, and infrastructure grant programs.
       (5) Private operator concessions or hybrid models.
       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the agencies and local governments referenced
herein shall submit a joint written report to the House Committee on Municipal, Parochial
and Cultural Affairs and the House Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public
Works no later than December 1, 2026, that includes the following:
       (1) Feasibility findings.
       (2) Cost comparisons.
       (3) Recommended governance structure.
       (4) Proposed implementation timeline.
       (5) Legislative actions needed.
       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
secretary of the Department of Environmental Quality, the director of the Governor's Office
of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, the president of the Ouachita Parish
Police Jury, and the mayors and governing authorities of Monroe, Richwood, Sterlington,
and West Monroe.
  SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
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