Mingo Messenger
MINGO COUNTY, W.Va. — Years after a coal company was ordered to reduce its pollution discharge from two mines in Mingo County, the company has been held in contempt for failing, for a third time, to comply with court orders.
On Nov. 7, U.S. District Judge Robert C. Chambers issued an order finding Lexington Coal in contempt and taking several sanctions in connection with a lawsuit brought against the mining company by several environmental groups, including the Sierra Club in 2019.
According to court documents, in March 2021, the court held Lexington Coal liable for ongoing violations of the Clean Water Act and the Surface Mining Reclamation and Control Act.
“Specifically, the Court entered an order holding Lexington Coal liable for several violations at Low Gap No. 2 and No. 10 Mines (in Mingo County),” Chambers’ order said. “The violations were: 1) Exceeding the selenium limits allowed by Lexington Coal’s CWA National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (“NPDES”) permit; 2) discharging pollutants to a level that caused violations of West Virginia water quality standards and Lexington Coal’s CWA 401 certification; and 3) discharging excess levels of selenium and ionic pollutants in violation of the SMCRA.
Read more: https://www.mingomessenger.com/news/article_da6ffde4-a2cb-11ef-ac54-b7b32c3bfe3a.html
