A black water spill, precarious permits, a contempt hearing and a new Justice company enters the scene

Water in Jacob’s Fork runs sludge black, resulting in violations issued against a coal company owned by Sen. Jim Justice and his family. Photo by Jamie Powers

West Virginia Sen. Jim Justice is the richest senator in the country, according to recent reporting that also highlights his substantial debts. In light of this news, we thought it appropriate to provide an update on our team’s continued work to deal with the ongoing impacts of his family’s coal empire, and their decades-long track record of environmental destruction.

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‘King of the Darters’ Removed from Endangered Species List 

Roanoke logperch swimming in a stream

The Roanoke logperch, a striking, large freshwater fish found in a handful of watersheds in Virginia and North Carolina, is no longer on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s endangered species list. It’s a sign of the fish population’s improvement. But some individuals and environmental and conservation organizations see its removal from Endangered Species Act protections — rather than moving from “endangered” to “threatened” status — as premature.

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Bankrupt coal company cited for releasing ‘sludge’ into West Virginia’s Gauley River watershed

This stretch of the South Fork of Cherry River is surrounded by South Fork Coal Company's surface mining operations. The brown hue to the water is caused by elevated sediment in the river. Photo by Willie Dodson

The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection issued its latest notice of violation against South Fork Coal Company, the bankrupt mining firm operating a 3,600-acre surface mining complex in Greenbrier County, West Virginia, on March 24. The citation was issued for “iron staining and sludge deposits” in Becky Run caused by the company’s Lost Flats #2 Surface Mine.

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Major progress for action to address acid mine drainage crisis as STREAM Act passes House with strong bipartisan support

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 27, 2022 Contact: Trey Pollard, trey@pollardcommunications.com, 202-904-9187 COAL COUNTRY — Today, advocates for abandoned mine clean up and clean water across the country celebrated as the U.S. House passed the Safeguarding Treatment for the Restoration of Ecosystems from Abandoned Mines (STREAM) Act — bipartisan legislation that would guarantee that major new…

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34 community organizations endorse new bipartisan House & Senate bills to address acid mine drainage crisis

CONTACT: Trey Pollard, 202-904-9187, trey@pollardcommunications.com APPALACHIA — Today, advocates and organizations from coal-impacted communities announced their support for the Safeguarding Treatment for the Restoration of Ecosystems from Abandoned Mines (STREAM) Act – new bipartisan legislation that would guarantee that major new investments in abandoned mine land clean up can be directed to address the acid…

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