PRESS RELEASES | Saturday, September 6

State Police Haz-Mat/Explosives Unit And DEQ Inspects Major Facilities After Gustav
According to the Louisiana State Police Hazardous Materials/Explosives Unit and DEQ all major railroad operations have resumed within the state.

Louisiana Chief Medical Officer Reports No New Gustav Fatalities
Dr. Louis Cataldie, Chief Medical Officer of Louisiana, reports no new fatalities in the wake of Hurricane Gustav.

Governor Jindal’s Update on Hurricane Gustav Response Efforts
Today, Governor Bobby Jindal held a press conference to give an update on state response efforts relating to Hurricane Gustav. Click here to read the update.

Governor Jindal Sends Letter to White House Requesting Recovery Assistance
Today, Governor Jindal sent a letter to President Bush, following up on their meeting earlier in the week during his visit to Baton Rouge, requesting specific items from the federal government to assist the state's recovery from Hurricane Gustav.Click here to read the letter

Attorney General's Office Issues Consumer Tips, Guidelines for Home Repair Contracting
The Attorney General's Consumer Protection Section has produced a brochure containing vital information consumers should be apprised of while dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Gustav or any disaster, including tips for securing contractors and a model home repair contract. Click here to view the consumer tips and a model home repair contract.

09.06.08 Update on Water Systems under Boil Advisory
Hurricane Gustav has caused widespread power outages and damage to drinking water systems throughout Louisiana.

• Click here for a list of water systems that are under boil advisories until further notice from the Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH).
• Click here for a list of drinking water systems that have water that is safe to drink.

St. John Parish Update
Updates as of 9:30 am, Saturday, September 6, 2008.

Department of Agriculture and Forestry Advises Residents to Practice Good Chainsaw Safety
The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry advised all Louisiana residents to practice good chainsaw safety and be wary of downed power lines and others hazards when removing hurricane debris from their property.

Federal Government Approves Launch of Disaster Food Stamp Program
The United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Services (USDA/FNS) has approved the operation of a Disaster Food Stamp Program in 31 Louisiana parishes. These parishes contain an estimated 380,000 households that will be eligible for disaster food benefits and already serve more than 150,000 households in the regular Food Stamp program. Participants in the regular program do not need to apply; their benefits will automatically be lifted to the maximum amount allowable for September and their August benefits have been increased by 20% in order to replace lost food.

Updated Power Outage Document Released
This morning, an updated map of power outages was released.