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Feds threaten enforcement takeover from DEP at mines with long violation history

By Mike Tony, Charleston Gazette-Mail

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Federal authorities have again threatened to take over mine permit violation enforcement from the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, telling the DEP it has failed to act on patterns of state rule violations across a string of permits spanning over 2,600 acres in Greenbrier County.

The U.S. Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement last week directed a notice to the DEP finding reason to believe the DEP failed to promptly review and act on patterns of violations it issued for Ashford-based South Fork Coal Company mine permits in Greenbrier County.

The OSMRE indicated it believes the DEP extended violation notices beyond time frames provided in state rules, with South Fork failing to “protect the hydrologic balance and prevent material damage offsite” or reclaim the permit within 180 days of final coal removal as required by state rule.

Read more: https://www.wvgazettemail.com/news/energy_and_environment/feds-threaten-enforcement-takeover-from-dep-at-mines-with-long-violation-history/article_ce602702-d383-11ef-a2a9-4becf21ef751.html

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