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Coal Mining Companies to Pay for Illegal Mountaintop Removal Mining
Case Updates:
July 15, 2009
On May 6, 2009, Sierra Club and its allies reached two historic settlements over separate legal claims against coal companies that operated mountaintop removal coal mines without the required permits. As the result of one settlement, Appolo Fuels, Inc. will pay approximately $120,000 to the Tennessee Parks and Greenways Foundation for having destroyed streams at its Jellico mine site in Claiborne County, Tennessee. Under the other settlement, TECO Coal and subsidiary Clintwood Elkhorn will pay for its illegal coal mining practices in Pike County, Kentucky. The company will provide approximately $250,000 to the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Foundation for stream restoration activities in the Levisa Fork watershed. In exchange, Sierra Club and its allies will drop their legal claims against the mining companies.
Coal mining companies’ flagrant disregard for the Clean Water Act permitting process, designed to protect the health and safety of waterways and communities, is a problem across Appalachia. Sierra Club, Kentuckians For The Commonwealth, Save Our Cumberland Mountains and Tennessee Clean Water Network’s legal actions against Appolo and TECO are part of a larger effort to stop illegal mining throughout Appalachia. The groups will continue to push for increased public involvement and a more open permitting process to prevent future illegal mining.
Details and Documents:
Landmark Tennessee, Kentucky Settlements a "Double Victory" for Appalachia
Sierra Club Press Release, May 6, 2009
More Info:
See other "Stopping Mountaintop Removal and Other Destructive Mining" cases.