West Virginia Governor Jim Justice faces justice for coal crimes in Kentucky
By Adam Mahoney, Grist
West Virginia Governor Jim Justice used coal to propel himself into public office in the coal-friendly state, but a few hundred miles away his association with coal is not so positive. Earlier this month in Kentucky, the billionaire politician and his son-turned-business partner were personally fined $2.9 million by the state for failing to reclaim three of their Eastern Kentucky mines, a process that makes them environmentally safe for redevelopment.
The proprietor of the Greenbrier Resort owns more than 50 coal mines and businesses and has faced fines before — along with community opposition — for failing to pay taxes and suppliers, inadequately implementing mine safety requirements, and ignoring court-ordered environmental remediation work.
He joins other high-ranking elected officials, such as Senator Joe Manchin and Congressman Michael McCaul, who are in the business of passing climate legislation while having interests in the fossil fuel industry. Justice’s attorneys claim the missed deadline that prompted the most recent fine is not his fault; the coronavirus pandemic made it impossible to safely get the reclamation work in time.
Recent Posts
In Ukraine, Biden Is Walking Into A Trap
Take Action Now Three key factors show why the administration needs to press the accelerator pedal on negotiations with Russia now. by…
Immediate Action Is Needed To Ensure ‘A Livable Future For All,’ UN Climate Panel Says
Take Action Now World needs a “quantum leap” in climate ambition to stave off devastating consequences. By Joseph Winters, Grist Current and future…
The Lords of Chaos
Take Action Now The politicians and shills in the media who orchestrated 20 years of military debacles in the Middle East, and who seek a world…
War Made Easy: The Iraq War 20 Years Later
Take Action Now This critically acclaimed documentary exhumes five decades of remarkable archival footage to show how presidents from both parties…