Kentucky coal firm fined over West Virginia mine pollution

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) — A Kentucky coal firm was fined $51,000 for failing to submit court-ordered plans to scrub up two polluted West Virginia mine websites.

U.S. District Decide Robert Chambers issued the order Monday in opposition to Lexington Coal Firm LLC, the Charleston Gazette-Mail reported. In Might, Chambers discovered the corporate in contempt for not complying along with his earlier order to submit a plan to deal with selenium discharges and different air pollution on the websites in Mingo County.

Chambers issued a $1,000 every day effective for a 51-day interval protecting Might 29 to July 18. He stated the effective will rise to $1,500 per day if the corporate doesn’t submit a plan by Aug. 1.

Environmental teams alleged in a 2019 lawsuit that the corporate was discharging pollution illegally at its Low Hole Floor Mine No. 2 and No. 10 Mine.

Sierra Membership senior legal professional Peter Morgan cheered Chambers’ ruling however famous that the coal firm could not meet its court-ordered obligations.

“It stays to be seen whether or not Lexington has the willingness or the power to adjust to the courtroom’s order,” stated Peter Morgan, an legal professional for the Sierra Membership.