As companies go bankrupt, they tend to pass off their mine mining permits — and the responsibility to reclaim them — to increasingly questionable entities. This is currently unfolding in Southwest Virginia, if the state mining agency allows it.
Blog Archives
Virginia regulators poised to grant mining permits to questionable company
TAGS: Coal coal bankruptcy Coal mining environmental violations mine reclamation mining regulations OSMRE Virginia
Who Cleans Up Environmental Mess Bankrupt Coal Leaves Behind?
As more coal companies file for bankruptcy, it remains unclear what will happen to hundreds of thousands of acres of unreclaimed mine land in eastern Kentucky and the rest of Appalachia.
Projected Layoffs for Murray Energy Workers
Bankrupt coal company Murray Energy has filed several notices warning of impending mass layoffs.
Delays, pollution and financial hurdles plague Blackjewel mines
Recent developments in the Blackjewel bankruptcy case raise more doubts about whether the serious reclamation problems at many of its coal sites will be properly addressed anytime soon.
Bond-forfeited Virginia Blackjewel mines may finally have a buyer
Three Virginia strip mines, neglected in the wake of the Blackjewel bankruptcy, may finally have a buyer. But it remains to be seen if the new company would be able to reclaim the land.
“Environmentalist” Tom Clarke abandons mines in West Virginia
With the failure of coal operator ERP’s unconventional scheme, West Virginia must contend with the company’s environmental violations and mines in need of cleanup.
TAGS: coal bankruptcy coal decline mine reclamation tom clarke West Virginia WV Department of Environmental Protection
Companies play hot potato with unreclaimed Blackjewel mines
Virginia regulators, a surety insurance company, and two coal companies are playing hot potato with 22 of bankrupt Blackjewel’s coal permits — and none of them want to be left with the responsibility of reclaiming the sites.
TAGS: blackjewel Coal coal bankruptcy coal companies mine reclamation southwest virginia Virginia Department of Mines Minerals and Energy
The Impacts of Coal Bankruptcies
With industry projections trending downwards, questions continue about whether the mine reclamation system can handle ongoing bankruptcies.
Bankruptcies Shake Coal Industry
Murray Energy filed for bankruptcy in October, the latest of eight coal bankruptcies in 2019. Legal disputes regarding the summer Blackjewel bankruptcy continue.
Bills Support Miners’ Pensions, Black Lung Benefits
A Senate bill would help fund miners’ pensions, including those affected by recent bankruptcies. In the House, a bill would re-instate a historic tax on coal companies to fund healthcare for miners with black lung disease.
