Coal Firm to Pay Record Penalty and Spend Millions on Water Cleanup in 5 States

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/06/us/coal-firm-to-pay-record-penalty-and-spend-millions-on-water-cleanup-in-5-states.html?_r=0


One of the nation's largest coal firms, Alpha Natural Resources, is about to pay one of the largest pollution fines in american history. It will pay $200 million to reduce pollution in mines in 5 states; Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. It will also pay $27.5 million for 6,000 violations of the Clean Water Act, the largest in its history. The udpated equipment should prevent about 36 million pounds of waste from getting into the enviroment. Many of these large energy companies have been under pressure since the chemical spill in West Virginia and the coal ash spill in North Carolinia. Its just that these companies should be paying higher fines, since they make billions of dollars a year. This is a start for prosecuting people who tear down mountains.