The Louisiana Department of Natural Resources will be serving the needs of its constituents, the public, business and industry, and the media as it resumes operations today in Baton Rouge and at its field offices not affected by Hurricane Katrina.

DNR Secretary Scott Angelle said that the need to assess impacts to the state’s natural resources will be ongoing and will be in coordination with other state and federal agencies working to recover from this terrible disaster.

DNR has responsibility for oil and gas resources, regulatory processes associated with that industry, other environmental regulations such as groundwater management and pipeline safety, energy conservation, and the state’s coastal restoration and management program.

Secretary Angelle said, “Hurricane Katrina has dealt our coast, the City of New Orleans, and the people of our state a catastrophic blow and recovery will take a very long time.” He said the department will be evaluating and accessing impacts to both energy infrastructure that supports much of America’s domestic energy supply and to our entire coastal zone in the days and long months ahead.

The DNR Office of the Secretary, Office of Mineral Resources, Office of Conservation, and Office of Coastal Restoration and Management will have updated information about its programs and services available on its website at www.dnr.louisiana.gov.

Information on oil and gas data is available through the website’s SONRIS information system located on the DNR homepage. Energy facts, reports and statistical information are also provided on the web at www.dnr.louisiana.gov/sec/execdiv/techasmt/

Other information requests can be ascertained by contacting the following: