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Patriot Agrees To Fund Reclamation At Former Mine Sites
By: Associated Press
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CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) – Patriot Coal and West Virginia environmental regulators have reached an agreement in which the company will set aside more than $50 million to cover cleanup costs at its former mine sites in the state.
The Department of Environmental Protection says the agreement announced Tuesday is subject to approval from a federal bankruptcy court in Richmond, Virginia.
DEP Secretary Randy Huffman says without the deal, Patriot could have walked away from its reclamation obligations and left that work to the state.
Patriot filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on May 12. A hearing on the plan is set for Wednesday.
Patriot’s agreement with the DEP resolves the agency’s objection to the bankruptcy plan.