The Cranberry Glades, located in the Monongahela National Forest, protects the largest area of bogs or acidic wetlands in West Virginia, according to the Pocahontas County Convention and Visitors Bureau. (Adobe Stock)
By Nadia Ramlagan
Environmental groups are suing South Fork Coal Company, alleging the company has repeatedly violated federal law in Greenbrier County.
The lawsuit said the company has continued to discharge pollutants into nearby waterways at levels exceeding legal limits. Environmental advocates said despite years of dumping pollutants, the state’s environmental protection department has not taken action to stop South Fork Coal.
Andrew Young, chair of the extractive industries committee for the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy, said the lawsuit is asking for an injunction to immediately stop the dumping and ensure the company properly reclaims the land.
“We noticed that South Forks’ own monitoring data showed that they were often discharging pollutants like iron, manganese, in excess of their legal limits,” Young pointed out. “The allegations are based largely on what the company itself is reporting.”
Advocates said the five mines in the lawsuit all discharge pollutants into the Laurel Creek Watershed and/or the South Fork of the Cherry River Watershed. Both streams feed into the Gauley River, an internationally renowned destination for whitewater rafting and kayaking, and home to the endangered candy darter.
The lawsuit also highlighted the company’s failure to submit required water quality assessments and reclaim unused sites. Young argued the company’s neglect of water and land standards puts local communities and the outdoor recreation economy at risk.
“The mines at issue here lie adjacent to the Monongahela National Forest, and it’s less than six miles from the world-renowned Cranberry glades and Cranberry Glades Wilderness Area,” Young explained.
The state’s tourism industry brought in nearly $9 billion last year. According to the governor’s office, more than 75 million visitors traveled to the Mountain State last year, and spent more than $6 billion.