The Ascension Parish Government has completed its role in an interim closure plan at the former LAlumina site, ending a cooperative agreement with the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality and LAlumina.
Effective July 1, the site officially transitioned into long-term closure under LDEQ oversight.
The cooperative agreement was established in 2024 after residents living near the former alumina refinery complained for years that red bauxite residue, commonly referred to as “red dust,” was blowing from the site’s uncovered waste ponds onto homes, vehicles and other property during dry, windy conditions. While LAlumina worked with LDEQ to develop a permanent closure plan, the agreement allowed Ascension Parish to perform interim mitigation work aimed at reducing dust emissions.
“Our priority has always been to do everything we can to protect the families who live near this site,” Ascension Parish President Clint Cointment said in a statement Tuesday. “We weren’t willing to sit around while our residents continued dealing with red dust blowing onto their homes, vehicles, and property. That’s why Ascension Parish Government partnered with LDEQ and LAlumina to implement an interim partial closure plan while the permanent closure strategy was being finalized.”
As part of the interim effort, the parish supplied personnel, heavy equipment, project coordination and soil from parish drainage projects. Crews covered more than 40 acres across Ponds 4 and 5, the areas closest to neighboring homes and identified as the primary source of airborne bauxite residue during dry, windy conditions.
The soil-capping project was designed to suppress dust migration, promote vegetation growth and reduce erosion until permanent closure work could begin
Throughout the project, parish officials also met regularly with nearby residents to provide updates and gather feedback.
With the highest-impact areas now stabilized, LAlumina is expected to begin implementing the permanent closure plan under LDEQ oversight in the coming weeks.
Although the parish’s responsibilities under the interim agreement have concluded, Ascension Parish Government said it will continue supporting the effort by providing suitable soil from parish drainage maintenance projects on an as-needed basis.
“We’re excited that LAlumina is expected to begin implementing the full closure plan under LDEQ’s oversight in the coming weeks, bringing this community one step closer to a permanent solution,” Cointment said.
The facility was built in the late 1950s by Ormet Corp., which operated an aluminum manufacturing facility in Ohio. LAIumina purchased the site in 2019. The plant shut down in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Under Louisiana’s environmental regulations, industrial facility owners must establish approved closure plans and financial assurance to fund site remediation after operations cease. LDEQ oversees the closure process, while LAlumina is responsible for carrying out the work.
When the CEA was signed, then LDEQ Secretary Aurelia Skipwith Giacometto said the cost to permanently remedy the situation ranged between $13 and $18 million, according to Louisiana Illuminator.
LDEQ and Ascension Parish agreed to tap into the $5 million balance of a trust fund LAlumina was required to set up when it took over operations at the site, while LAlumina was responsible for the remaining cost.
