GADSDEN, Ala. — A new federal lawsuit alleges that Alabama Power’s capped coal ash pond at the former Gadsden Steam Plant is continuing to contaminate groundwater along the Coosa River, despite efforts to close the site in 2018 under federal rules aimed at protecting public health.
Coosa Riverkeeper, an environmental nonprofit, filed suit Tuesday against Alabama Power, citing monitoring data showing ongoing pollution from toxic substances nearly seven years after closure. The group, represented by the Southern Environmental Law Center, accuses the utility of violating federal environmental laws by leaving nearly 1.5 million tons of coal ash in an unlined pit bordering Neely Henry Lake and the river. According to the lawsuit, about 40% of the ash remains saturated in groundwater, leading to contamination.
Plant Gadsden’s ash pond—capped in place instead of being excavated—was the first in Alabama to be closed with this method. Environmental advocates contend the cap has failed to prevent heavy metals and other hazardous pollutants from leaking into groundwater, with some locations reportedly showing arsenic concentrations many times above legal limits as of late 2024.
The coal ash site sits in a floodplain near popular fishing and boating waters and less than a mile upstream from the Gadsden Water Works’ drinking water intake. Opponents argue the pollution threatens both public health and Alabama’s growing ecotourism economy.
Alabama Power has previously stated its closure plan meets state and federal requirements. The lawsuit seeks to compel the utility to excavate the waste entirely, as other Southeastern utilities have begun doing.
The capped coal ash pond at Gadsden is one of six in the state slated for similar closure, raising broader concerns about environmental risks posed by ash storage across Alabama.