IN THESE TIMES: In Appalachia, the Mine Cleanup System Has Collapsed

Deputy Director Mary Cromer was interviewed for this article, along with many of our partners:

“That may seem like a regulatory technicality, but permits are how state and federal regulators hold mine operators accountable to ensure they are maintaining and reclaiming mine sites. 

‘If a landslide happens on that permit, who’s responsible?’ asks Mary Cromer, deputy director of Appalachian Citizens’ Law Center, a nonprofit law firm in eastern Kentucky that focuses on coal-related issues. ​’The state hasn’t taken over responsibility. The surety hasn’t taken over responsibility. Who’s responsible for daily maintenance to keep these sites safe and monitor pollution?’

The answers to these questions are important. But even when responsibility is clear, regulators haven’t done a good job of holding mining companies accountable — which, for Blackjewel mines, has made the current situation even worse.”

Read the full article here.