"Environmentalists Allege Pollution From West Virginia Mine"

"CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A group of environmentalists said Tuesday it intended to sue West Virginia over evidence of pollutants running into waterways from a coal mine site.

In a letter to the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, the group alleges violations of the Clean Water Act at a coal mine site managed by the state agency in Clay and Nicholas counties in central West Virginia.

The Sierra Club, West Virginia Highlands Conservancy and the West Virginia Rivers Coalition are part of the notice of intent to sue.

They claim there were 780 violations of permit limits for pH, iron and aluminum since October 2016 at the Greendale Coals site. “Based on the dismal compliance history at this site, it appears that WVDEP either never built the needed treatment system or has failed to operate it properly,” Derek Teaney, counsel for the organizations, wrote in the letter."

Cuneyt Dil reports for the Associated Press June 29, 2021.

Source: AP, 06/30/2021