West Virginia Governor’s Bluestone Coal Settles Water Claims

A coal company owned by West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice (R) has reached a settlement with environmental groups who accused a Bluestone Coal Corp. mine of violating water pollution limits, according to a filing in a federal court.

The Sierra Club, Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition, and two other groups allege the Red Fox Mine releases selenium above limits set in its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit. Selenium is a metal found in coal, and is toxic to humans in large amounts.

There is “significant disagreement” between the parties about the size of an appropriate civil penalty, according to a ...