| Advisory opinion request regarding whether Elizabeth West may accept employment with CNS Environmental Consultants, LLC (CNS), to provide assistance as a contract lab assessor or technical expert in assessments of laboratories accredited by bodies other than the Louisiana Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (LELAP). |
|
Ms. West is an environmental scientist for LELAP within the office of Environmental Services of Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality. Her job duties for this position include reviewing the quality system documents and applications of environmental laboratories to assess whether they comply with the applicable standards and regulations, and audit laboratory practices on site to determine whether the lab is adhering to the quality system and the National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (NELAP) and applicable accreditation programs within the Louisiana Administrative Code. She also maintains LELAP scopes of accreditation for assigned laboratories and assist in revision of LELAP standard operating procedures.
She stated that she would not assist any assessments through CNS that may come before LELAP for accreditation. CNS does not have any contracts with LELAP. She would perform these services for CNS while on leave from LELAP. Further, CNS does not have any contracts to perform assessments for any labs that come before LELAP nor do they perform assessments for any labs in Louisiana.
|
|
La. R.S. 42:1111C(1)(a) provides that a public servant may not receive anything of economic value for any service, the subject matter of which is devoted substantially to the responsibilities, programs, or operations of the agency of the public servant and in which the public servant has participated.
La. R.S. 42:1111E(1) provides that no public servant, and no legal entity of which such public servant has a substantial economic interest, shall receive or agree to receive any thing of economic value for assisting a person in a transaction, or in an appearance in connection with a transaction, with the agency of such public servant.
|
|
|
Adopt the proposed advisory opinion.
|
|
| Assigned Attorney: |
Brett Robinson |
|
|