West Virginia Coal Company Must Face Water Pollution Suit

A coal company owned by West Virginia’s governor must wait until after the state environmental department issues an administrative order before it can argue a water pollution lawsuit is moot, a federal court in the state ruled.

The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia’s ruling came in favor of environmental groups who argued they would suffer “irreparable harm” from ongoing releases from Bluestone Coal Corp.'s mine during the stay.

The Sierra Club, Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition, and two other groups sued the company alleging violations of the Clean Water Act and the Surface Mining Control and ...