Posts Tagged ‘mine reclamation’
Abandoned Mine Land cleanup disrupted by federal funding freeze
As the Appalachian region is experiencing intense rainfall this week, the federal Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement is not processing state requests seeking approval for abandoned mine land reclamation projects according to state agency officials and congressional staff.
Read MoreFederal regulators poised to crack down on coal mine operated by Jim Justice’s family
On Dec. 10, 2024, the U.S. Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement sent a damning letter to the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection over the state’s failure to rein in operations on a wildly non-compliant coal strip mine in Wyoming County, West Virginia.
Read MoreEnvironmental groups sue South Fork Coal over damages near Cranberry Wilderness
The West Virginia Highlands Conservancy and Appalachian Voices sued South Fork Coal Company today for ongoing violations of the federal Clean Water Act and Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act at five coal mines in Greenbrier County, West Virginia.
Read MoreTennessee’s zombie mine crisis: A growing threat
Zombie mines often evolve into environmental hazards, leaking pollutants into waterways, disrupting natural areas and creating dangerous landscapes.
Read MoreSigns of trouble for critical mine cleanup fund in Virginia
A bankruptcy of any one of nine coal companies could tank the state of Virginia’s mine reclamation fund within a decade.
Read MoreLexington Coal held in contempt for third time for continuing to violate federal court order to stop polluting West Virginia streams
Today, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia held Lexington Coal Company in contempt for the third time for the company’s ongoing refusal to address the environmental damage caused by its coal mining operations in Appalachia.
Read MoreCommunity groups ask judge to halt mining and hold A&G Coal in contempt for violating court-ordered mine clean-up deadlines
Today, three community groups — Southern Appalachian Mountain Stewards, Appalachian Voices and the Sierra Club — filed a motion to hold A&G Coal Company in contempt of court for failure to comply with a prior consent decree.
Read MoreMassive Funding Boost Spurs Coal Clean-up Efforts in Appalachia
Appalachian states received $725 million from the federal government this summer to clean up decades-old abandoned mines. Read about their efforts!
Read MoreNew report reveals extent of zombie coal mine crisis in Tennessee
A report released yesterday through a state records request shows that funds available to clean up coal mines in Tennessee fall tens of millions of dollars short of the amount necessary to complete the work.
Read MoreCoal bankruptcies continue to put a strain on communities
It is far too easy for coal companies to use bankruptcy to effectively hit a reset button. Once they file for bankruptcy, damages they caused and obligations they committed to are often no longer their responsibility.
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