Peabody Energy’s Bear Run coal mine threatened by ruling

US coal giant Peabody Energy (NYSE:BTU) is facing legal challenges related to its permitting requirements after an Indiana judge ruled the fully impact of coal waste from its Bear Run coal mine, east of the Mississippi River, was inadequately assessed.

In a ruling issued Sept. 11, the state environmental judge decided that Peabody had properly fulfilled its requirements under Indiana law with one exception: a thorough evaluation of the impact coal waste runoff would have on local waterways reports Indy Star. 

Judge Catherine Gibbs’ verdict doesn’t blame the company, but the Indiana Department of Environmental Management for failing to perform a required “antidegradation” analysis ruled that study must be conducted.

Peabody, the world’s largest private-sector coal producer, will hold its licence while additional analysis of the local waterways around the mine is underway.

Bear Run, the largest surface mine in eastern US sold 7.7 million tons of coal last year and has an annual capacity of up to 8 million tons.

Image from Wikimedia Commons