US Sues 13 Coal Companies To Recoup Unpaid Civil Penalties - Justice Dept.

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 01st June, 2023) The US Justice Department said in a press release that it has sued James Justice III and the 13 coal companies that he and his family owns in an effort to recoup unpaid civil penalties, audit debts and reclamation fees.

"Over a five-year period, defendants engaged in over 130 violations of Federal law, thereby posing health and safety risks to the public and the environment," the release said on Wednesday. "After given notice, they then failed to remedy those violations and were ordered over 50 times to cease mining activities until their violations were abated. Today, the filing of this complaint continues the process of holding defendants accountable for jeopardizing the health and safety of the public and our environment."

The Justice Department said that from 2018 to 2022, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement cited Justice and his companies for more than 130 violations, and it also issued 50 orders to stop mining to prevent health and safety risks to residents and the environment.

The defendants failed to pay required Abandoned Mine Lands (AML) fees, which fund the reclamation of coal mining sites abandoned or left in an inadequate reclamation status, the release said.

According to the filing, the total amount of the penalties, AML fees, plus interest, penalties and administrative expenses the defendants owe the US federal government is about $7.6 million, the release added.

James Justice III took charge of the companies after his father, Jim Justice, ascended to the governor's office in 2017. The lawsuit was filed several weeks after Governor Justice launched his bid to unseat Democratic US Senator Joe Manchin.