Big Cajun II Power Plant CCR Closure and Remediation

In 2025, Forsite Development unveiled its rebranded business line to support the Coal Combustion Residuals (CCR) market. Forsite Environmental Solutions marks a pivotal shift in how complex environmental liabilities are managed. The Big Cajun II Power Plant CCR closure and remediation project in New Roads, Louisiana, stands as the first major initiative under this new banner — setting a strong example for future collaborations.

Big Cajun II, an active coal-fired power plant north of Baton Rouge, needed to close 230 acres of CCR impoundments, manage 50 acres of water treatment ponds and maintain uninterrupted power generation, while minimizing their long-term risks.

With strict compliance deadlines and a dynamic operational environment, the project demanded a partner capable of managing environmental, engineering, and operational complexities without compromise.

Forsite’s unique strength lies in its ability to approach projects from an owner’s perspective. Drawing on decades of experience remediating industrial sites across the country, Forsite offered a flexible solution: assuming operational control of CCR units and accepting the long-term CCR risks, while allowing the plant to continue generating power and creating revenue.

“This project demonstrates how we can decouple environmental liabilities from operational assets, enabling owners to keep moving forward.” — Kevin Harshberger, President, Forsite Environmental Solutions

On-site, Project Manager Vernon Lang coordinates daily activities, keeping contractors, engineers, and plant staff aligned. “My job is to make sure it’s done right, no shortcuts,” Lang shared.

The project involves consolidating materials from the Fly Ash Basin into a smaller footprint, and regrading and capping both the Fly Ash Basin and the Bottom Ash Basin in place. The regraded and capped CCR units will have a total footprint of roughly 130 acres and include a state of the art composite cover system. The composite cover system is comprised of an impermeable synthetic membrane, a composite drainage media and protective cover soil. A robust system of groundwater monitoring wells surrounds the sites, confirming that all constituents remain contained within the closed CCR footprint. When closure activities are completed, the long-term environmental liabilities will be mitigated and the site will be monitored for 30 years to ensure compliance with all regulations.

Forsite Environmental Solutions provides three flexible delivery models to meet each client’s risk profile and operational goals:

1. Risk Transfer Model: Forsite assumes full ownership and long-term responsibility for CCR units, including post-closure care.
2. Engineer-Procure-Construct (EPC): A Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) solution with pre-construction value engineering to optimize costs and performance.
3. Cost-Plus Approach: Transparent, collaborative delivery with shared savings from innovative execution strategies.

Each approach is underpinned by a highly collateralized indemnity from a major insurance carrier, providing unmatched financial assurance.

While remediation at Big Cajun II is ongoing, Forsite has already helped the plant stay on track for regulatory compliance, while minimizing disruption to daily operations. This proactive model empowers owners to separate environmental liabilities from revenue-generating assets, preserving business continuity.

Forsite’s strong record — including never having a “boomerang site” where liabilities return to the owner — underscores their reliability and commitment to long-term stewardship.

Looking beyond compliance, this work lays the groundwork for supporting owners on future CCR opportunities of all sizes and complexities.

The Big Cajun II project reflects Forsite’s mission to manage environmental challenges with integrity, precision, and an unwavering owner mindset. It demonstrates that with the right approach, complex remediation risks can be shifted away from utility owners, allowing the utility to focus on its core business of generating power. This approach can protect and support today’s operations and enable a cleaner, more sustainable tomorrow.