ASCENSION — Earlier this week, the Ascension Parish Government received final approval from the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) to begin work on a test site as part of the partial closure efforts at the LAlumina LLC facility. This is part of efforts to understand and mitigate the effects of a particle known as “red dirt” or “red dust” in Ascension Parish.
Work has started on a four-acre red dirt test site, according to Ascension Parish officials.
“This marks a critical step forward in our efforts to protect our residents and begin the process to mitigate this area,” Parish President Clint Cointment told UWK.
In Sept. 2023, LDEQ visited the old Ormet Plant that was owned by LAlumina after UWK reached out to the agency, asking questions about a red haze in the area. A flare up of the dirt helped prompt the visit.
LDEQ told UWK that it had received complaints from neighboring residents of the plant site for years.
These complaints alleged that dust from the facility has been seen as a huge red cloud and that the facility is not properly watering the area. It is believed that this red cloud is causing breathing and contamination issues in nearby neighborhoods.
Residents described the red dust in Ascension as “toxic” and a cause of breathing problems in the area.
In March 2024, Ascension Parish officials announced they started collaborating with LDEQ to resolve issues tied to the site. The LDEQ ultimately authorized the deployment of a drone to survey the more than 400 acres.
“This is something where there isn’t an easy answer, but we are committed to providing an answer,” Aurelia Giacometto, Secretary for LDEQ, said while visiting the site.
In August 2024, the Ascension Parish Council approved closing the red dirt site along Hwy. 44.
Timeline of approvals
According to previous UWK reports, the Ascension Parish Council approved a cooperative endeavor agreement with LDEQ and LAlumina at a council meeting on Aug. 1, 2024. The agreement was signed on Aug. 19, establishing a join commitment to address the issue and giving a funding mechanism for partial closure of the site.
In late November, the parish government submitted a partial closure proposal to LDEQ, requesting approval for a test site to evaluate closure methods. According to officials, the cooperative agreement was approved by the parish council on Dec. 12, 2024.
The cooperative agreement between the State of Louisiana, LDEQ, LAlumina LLC, and Ascension Parish
Government was fully executed on April 1, 2025. The following day, LDEQ approved the parish government’s partial closure proposal.
Work at the four-acre test site started this week, on April 7.
While the cooperative agreement doesn’t outline specific technical methods of the partial closure, the collaborative framework is now in place to implement the solutions, parish government reports.
“Our administration has been relentlessly pushing for action, and I’m proud of our progress in partnership with the State of Louisiana and LDEQ. We are committed to seeing this project through until we bring lasting relief to the communities affected,” added Cointment.
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