Louisiana and Coal Ash Disposal in Ponds and Landfills Summary

Louisiana generates over 1.5 million tons of coal ash annually, ranking 25th in the US. The state has 11 coal ash ponds at three plants, all at least 20 years old, with no historical releases reported by the EPA. However, risk assessments indicate issues with lining and monitoring, including unlined impoundments at Dolet Hills Power Station and a lack of groundwater monitoring at Big Cajun 2.

• Louisiana ranks 25th in the United States for coal ash generation, producing more than 1.5 million tons per year.
• There are 11 coal ash ponds located at three plants in Louisiana; these ponds have an average age of 25.4 years and none have been ranked as a "high" or "significant" hazard. EPA data indicates no historical releases have occurred at these sites.
• Infrastructure for coal ash disposal in Louisiana varies in safety: Dolet Hills Power Station uses unlined landfills and surface impoundments, four other sites use only clay-lined systems, three of those lack leachate control, and the Big Cajun 2 site does not perform groundwater monitoring.

APA

Earthjustice (n.d.). Louisiana and Coal Ash Disposal in Ponds and Landfills Summary. https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/la-coal-ash-factsheet.pdf

Chicago

Earthjustice. Louisiana and Coal Ash Disposal in Ponds and Landfills Summary. n.d. https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/la-coal-ash-factsheet.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Earthjustice |title=Louisiana and Coal Ash Disposal in Ponds and Landfills Summary |url=https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/la-coal-ash-factsheet.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{earthjusticendlouisiana, author = {{Earthjustice}}, title = {{Louisiana and Coal Ash Disposal in Ponds and Landfills Summary}}, institution = {Earthjustice}, url = {https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/la-coal-ash-factsheet.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }