Louisiana
Workplace survey paints mixed picture of embattled leadership at Louisiana environmental regulator
A majority of employees at Louisiana’s Department of Environmental Quality were satisfied with their jobs and felt their direct managers had respect and integrity, but staffers had far less favorable views of the agency’s top leadership, a new state workplace audit has found.
The report and its survey findings from the state’s Legislative Auditor provided a mixed picture within the agency amid claims that DEQ Secretary Aurelia S. Giacometto has harshly treated staff and imposed restrictive operational rules.
Giacometto has pushed the agency to be more efficient and marry its environmental protection goals more closely with economic development, as has been sought by Gov. Jeff Landry. But several departures from her handpicked administrative staff have helped fuel criticism. One resignation letter harshly condemned Giacometto’s management style, while another exit survey did the same.
More than three-fourths of DEQ employees believed morale had worsened in the first six months of 2024 and near majorities didn’t believe the agency’s top leadership valued what they did or respected them, according to a survey conducted for the state audit.
Employees told surveyors that to improve DEQ leadership, agency brass should “improve the way they treat employees, obtain more knowledge about DEQ processes and trust employees.”
According to the report, the audit and survey were conducted to respond to a legislative request “to review the culture and concerns within LDEQ.”
“The legislative request referenced concerns about issues within the agency’s work environment and their potential impact on the agency’s ability to effectively carry out its essential functions,” the audit says.
The employee workplace survey, which was conducted in July, drew responses from 52.9% of the department’s 712 employees.
The Louisiana Legislative Auditor’s Office made the report public Friday afternoon, just days before Fat Tuesday and as many residents prepared for a weekend of big Mardi Gras parades in New Orleans, Baton Rouge and other parts of the state starting Friday night.
Legislative Auditor Mike Waguespack declined to comment on the audit Friday.
Giacometto provided a statement in response that questioned the auditors’ methods, saying they didn’t follow governmental auditing standards and had data that wasn’t relevant to DEQ’s operations.
Though those criticisms led her to question the validity of the audit survey data, she did highlight, what she said, was one of its findings, that nearly 90% of employees enjoyed working at DEQ and were satisfied with their jobs.
“We believe this result speaks for itself,” she wrote. “The current administration has implemented rapid changes to make LDEQ more efficient and responsive, and this speaks volumes as to the talent and resiliency of the great majority of employees at LDEQ.”
The cited statistic takes a generous view of the actual survey results.
According to the survey, nearly 47% said they enjoyed working at DEQ “a great deal” or “a lot” and nearly 56% said they were “satisfied” or “very satisfied.”
With those who said they enjoyed working at DEQ a “moderate amount,” the response reaches nearly 82%. Adding in those who responded they enjoyed working at DEQ “a little” brings the figure into the nineties, at 95%.
Auditors found a complicated picture of DEQ staff’s feelings about where they worked, their departments and immediate co-workers and bosses, but less favorable views of the agency’s top leadership.
Nearly 46% disputed that the agency had a “toxic work environment” and nearly 60% said they never or rarely experienced or witnessed unprofessional behavior in the first half of 2024.
More than 58% agreed or strongly agreed that their opinions are valued when they speak up, the survey found.
Nearly 81% also said they felt no pressure to do “something against the law, LDEQ policy, or civil service rules” in the first half of 2024.
But 46.3% also disagreed or strongly disagreed with the idea that the agency’s executive leadership “values the contribution” that their division or office provides to DEQ’s mission. Another 31% had no opinion one way or the other. Nearly 23% agreed or strongly agreed with that idea.
About 22% agreed or strongly agreed that executive leadership “treats them with respect and appreciates them.” Nearly 47% “disagreed” or “strongly disagreed” with that notion.
At the same time, more than 76% “agreed” or “strongly agreed” that their supervisor, manager or administrator offers them respect and appreciation, the survey found.
While 73% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that their division, office or group communicated effectively with them, just 15% felt the same about communication from DEQ’s executive leadership.
Though a strong majority said they felt no pressure to do something against rules or laws, a small percentage, 13.6%, said they did feel those pressures and aired a variety of concerns that led to those feelings.
They included “pressure to not follow agency policies related to closing sites and completing inspections” and “noncompliance with grant requirements and rules for contracts.”
The small minority also had concerns about “Human Resources and Department of State Civil Service policies related to compensatory time and leave.”
Other employees in that small minority aired concerns “about a temporary directive to not communicate with outside entities, which according to survey respondents, impacted their ability to do their jobs.”
In a separate question, some employees told auditors that various “barriers affect their ability to do their job, or do it as well as they would like.”
Those barriers included “inadequate staffing levels, a lack of independence and authority, and inadequate technology and training.”
Drawing the most responses among all the barriers listed was “inadequate staffing” at more than 43%.
NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — For the fifth consecutive year, the Louisiana Children’s Museum hosted its annual environmental festival, Mud Fest, on Saturday, March 28.
From 10 a.m.-4 p.m., parents and their little ones had the opportunity to have fun in the sun and enjoy the “highlight” of the museum’s spring season.
This event was inspired by the iconic New Orleans festival culture which includes good food, live music and a nice, high-energy atmosphere. Mud Fest is tailored for the “youngest environmental stewards” to have fun and make all the mess they want with mud.
Due to the Crescent City being surrounded by wetland habitats, we interact with water daily in both our rural and urban communities.
The festival generates positive associations with our region and also builds critical thinking skills for future educators, engineers, fishermen and farmers. According to LCM, engaging with nature, water and plants “builds a child’s confidence and fosters a lifelong connection to the Earth.”
“As the Louisiana Children’s Museum celebrates its 40th anniversary, events like Mud Fest reflect our long-standing commitment to hands-on learning that sparks curiosity and connects children to the world around them,” LCM CEO Tifferney White said.
This year, Mud Fest had performances from young musicians of the School of Rock, the Louisiana Sunspots and more. There were also a storytelling stage and various family-friendly activities for visitors to engage in.
Mud Fest partnered with Pontchartrain Conservancy, STEM NOL, Whimscapes and Sugar Roots to put on the event.
Stay up to date with the latest news, weather and sports by downloading the WGNO app on the Apple or Google Play stores and by subscribing to the WGNO newsletter.
Latest Posts
Lana Del Rey has enjoyed a low-key life with her gator tour guide husband Jeremy Dufrene in Louisiana and the talented singer recently gave an intimate peek into their relationship.
The 40-year-old Young And Beautiful hitmaker (born Elizabeth Grant) took to her Instagram to post a gallery celebrating the swamp guide’s 51st birthday.
The couple looked just as in love as ever following their wedding in September 2024.
Del Rey shared several recent videos from their modest life together including a cute selfie of the couple by the ocean while she let her natural beauty show by going make-up free.
She also posted a cute video of Dufrene loading up the truck with plants they had just purchased from Home Depot and when he realizes he is being filmed, the Louisiana native flashed a big smile and proudly posed with a Jack-o’-lantern pot.
Del Rey also shared a snap of her hand gripping his wrist as her massive engagement ring could be seen in full view.
Lana Del Rey has enjoyed a low-key life with her gator tour guide husband Jeremy Dufrene in Louisiana and the talented singer recently gave an intimate peek into their relationship as she shared a tribute to him on his 51st birthday
Another snap showed Del Rey wearing one of Dufrene’s tour guide shirts featuring his name embroidered above the pocket.
Weeks ago the musical artist gave what appeared to be a glimpse into her married life in her new video.
Del Rey’s Insta Stories video opened with footage from the 1933 Betty Boop cartoon Snow-White, though it focused on a section starring the character Koko the Clown as he’s turned into a ghost.
Then the video abruptly cut to shaky handheld footage of Del Rey dancing with an ecstatic smile plastered on her face.
The two have kept a relatively low profile since their wedding day but did make a notable appearance last month at the pre-New York Fashion Week Ralph Lauren show on February 10.
The happy couple even stopped for a romantic kiss as they walked the red carpet for the iconic designer.
The couple first met in 2019 during one of Dufrene’s swamp excursions and reconnected years later, before tying the knot in September 2024.
In August, Del Rey revealed how she fell for her husband, a Louisiana bayou tour guide who spends his days surrounded by alligators.
Join the debate
What do you think Lana Del Rey’s choice to marry a swamp guide says about fame and real love?
She posted a cute video of Dufrene loading up the truck with plants they had just purchased from Home Depot and when he realizes he is being filmed, the Louisiana native flashed a big smile and proudly posed with a Jack-o’-lantern pot
Del Rey also shared a snap of her hand gripping his wrist as her massive engagement ring could be seen in full view
Another snap showed Del Rey wearing one of Dufrene’s tour guide shirts featuring his name embroidered above the pocket
Del Rey also posted a video of the cover of their wedding album
‘Like many people who work with large, dangerous beasts, Jeremy has a calm, strong presence,’ Del Rey told W magazine.
‘When we met, I realized pretty immediately that I loved him, but that it might get difficult because of what I was bringing to the table,’ she continued.
Del Rey added that Dufrene reassured her from the start: ‘I work with alligators — I have tough skin.’
And true to his word, he listened through all the drama: ‘All the things that made me upset — and there were so many! — he would just listen and say, “You be you — and I’ll just love you more.”’
Weeks ago the musical artist gave what appeared to be a glimpse into her married life and her new video
The two have kept a relatively low profile since their wedding day but did make a notable appearance last month at the pre-New York Fashion Week Ralph Lauren show on February 10
The happy couple stopped for a romantic kiss as they walked the red carpet for the iconic designer
The couple first met in 2019 during one of Dufrene’s swamp excursions and reconnected years later, before tying the knot in September 2024
Tying the knot in 2024 didn’t make the spotlight any gentler.
Del Rey recalled the intense scrutiny they faced, with drones reportedly hovering over their home to snap photos of their wedding and early days as newlyweds.
‘If I was him, I would have been nervous — my emotions were more overwhelming than usual, and my usual emotions can be quite overwhelming!’ she said with a laugh. ‘But Jeremy was fine. He told me, “Don’t worry about me.”’
And when it comes to music inspired by love, fans have already heard a peek. ‘Stars Fell on Alabama. I open my show with that song — that’s it, so far,’ she revealed.
‘Jeremy is the most impactful person in my life. He’s quiet in public, but around me he talks all the time.’
Louisiana
Meta orders 10 gas-fired power plants for its Hyperion AI campus in rural Louisiana—more than triple the initial plans | Fortune
Meta will pay for a total of 10 gas-fired power plants—enough to power more than 5 million homes—to electrify its rapidly expanding plans for its massive AI data center complex in northeastern Louisiana, dubbed Hyperion.
Meta’s agreement with New Orleans–based Entergy, announced March 27, is to build and finance seven new power plants in Louisiana. That comes on top of plans approved last year to build three gas power plants for the sprawling AI hub. The 10 power plants with 7.5 gigawatts of capacity would represent a more than 30% increase to Louisiana’s entire grid capacity, not even counting up to 2.5 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity, including battery storage, that Meta also agreed to help fund.
Meta initially announced plans for a $10 billion investment in December 2024 for a 2,250-acre data center campus in northeastern Louisiana in rural Richland Parish. But Meta recently, and quietly, acquired an additional 1,400 acres, as Fortune reported in February. In October 2025, Meta entered a joint venture with funds managed by Blue Owl Capital to finance, build, and operate the Hyperion campus with up to $27 billion in total development costs, seemingly ensuring the mega-campus will serve as a long-term, multiphase AI hub.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has said Hyperion would cover a “significant part of the footprint of Manhattan.”
“Our Richland Parish data center serves as a symbol of the ambition and scale of next-generation AI infrastructure,” said Rachel Peterson, Meta vice president for data centers, in a statement. “We are building foundations for the future of AI innovation right here in the United States. We’ve been working closely with Entergy since early on-site planning to ensure our power needs are met and, importantly, so that Entergy’s other consumers aren’t paying our costs.”
The Louisiana Public Service Commission will still need to approve the projects. The previous three power plants received regulatory authorization last year.
Entergy’s stock jumped 7% on March 27, lifting its market cap to a new record high of about $50 billion. The stock has risen almost 125% in two years.
Entergy is emphasizing that Meta is paying for the projects, rather than shifting the costs to other ratepayers. Entergy argues that the deals will save Louisiana taxpayers billions of dollars over several years.
The 10 power plants are estimated to cost nearly $11 billion. Critics contend ratepayers could be stuck with the bill after 15 years, which is the length of the contractual terms, if Meta no longer requires so much power after that span.
“This agreement reflects what’s possible when strong partners align around long-term growth and value,” said Phillip May, president and CEO of Entergy Louisiana, in a statement. “Working with our customers, regulators, and state leaders, we are making targeted investments that strengthen reliability, support economic development, and deliver meaningful benefits to customers—all while keeping energy rates affordable.”
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