US sues West Virginia governor's coal empire over unpaid mining penalties

The U.S. Justice Department has sued West Virginia Governor Jim Justice's coal empire over allegations it failed to pay around $7.6 million in environmental fines from mining violations. The civil action, filed Tuesday against the governor's son and 13 coal companies he owns or operates, seeks to hold them "accountable for jeopardizing the health and safety of the public and our environment," the department said in a statement.

The U.S. Justice Department has sued West Virginia Governor Jim Justice's coal empire over allegations it failed to pay around $7.6 million in environmental fines from mining violations.

The civil action, filed Tuesday against the governor's son and 13 coal companies he owns or operates, seeks to hold them "accountable for jeopardizing the health and safety of the public and our environment," the department said in a statement. The fines follow an assessment by the Interior Department's Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, according to the statement released Wednesday. The companies had violated federal law more than 130 times from 2018-2022, it said.

The governor's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Justice, a coal-mining billionaire, is running for the 2024 Republican nomination to challenge moderate Democratic U.S. Senator Joe Manchin. He has served as West Virginia governor since 2017.