Kentucky Court Orders WV Gov. Justice To Pay Penalty Over Mine Reclamation

A Kentucky court has found coal companies owned by West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice in default of a 2019 mine reclamation agreement.

A judge in Frankfort on Tuesday ordered Justice to pay a nearly $3 million penalty, plus interest, over mine reclamation work at three sites in eastern Kentucky that was not completed before deadline.

The judge revoked five of Justice’s permits, including some at mines he’d planned to reopen.

Justice also must pay attorneys fees to the state Energy and Environment Cabinet.

Attorneys for Justice had argued that the coronavirus pandemic made it impossible to meet the deadlines for completing the reclamation work.

Read more: https://www.wvpublic.org/energy-environment/2021-11-10/kentucky-court-orders-justice-to-pay-penalty-over-mine-reclamation