A long-troubled bauxite refinery along the Mississippi River near Gramercy hit with a compliance order and threat of fines earlier this year is now facing a lawsuit in federal court from a regional environmental group over its ponds of so-called "red mud" waste.

The Louisiana Environmental Action Network claims the series of problems identified by state regulators at Atlantic Alumina, also known as Atalco, indicated a lack of care about the impact of its operations in St. James and St. John the Baptist parishes.

The group says it wants to ensure the state forces an effective remedy to alleged problems that included seepage of bright red caustic liquid into the Blind River Swamp.

The suit is being brought under provisions that allow citizens to bring legal action to enforce federal c

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