July 20, 2016
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 20, 2016
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Federal Bankruptcy Court Allows Environmental Groups to Move Forward On Peabody’s Self-Bonding of Coal Mine Reclamation
STATEMENT BY HOWARD A. LEARNER
Executive Director, Environmental Law & Policy Center
St. Louis – Howard Learner, Executive Director of the Environmental Law & Policy Center, said in response to Federal Bankruptcy Judge Barry Schermer’s ruling today allowing efforts to move forward that could help prevent any effort to shift coal mine clean-up costs on to the public as part of any bankruptcy restructuring:
“The Federal Bankruptcy Court recognized that the Environmental Law & Policy Center and Western Organization of Resource Councils are ‘parties in interest’ and can proceed to comment on Peabody Energy’s obligation to fully perform mine reclamation and environmental cleanups at its coal mines in Illinois, Indiana, New Mexico and Wyoming.”
“ELPC will continue to work with our partners to ensure that Peabody Energy’s and other coal mine companies’ bonding practices are in the public’s interest and that taxpayers are not saddled with the costs of mine reclamation and clean-up responsibilities.”