|
|||||||||||
|
|||||||||||
|
Winds of Change Newsletter, September 2006 See sidebar for table of contents Massey Energy Court-Ordered to Provide Water in Mingo Co.
"This is the first time in Mingo County history that anyone has refused to obey a court order, that I know of." - OVEC member Billy Sammons by Audrey Carter, Williamson Daily News, July 31, 2006 Residents of the Lick Creek, Rawl, Merrimac and Sprigg areas, who have maintained for years that coal mining destroyed their source of potable water, were granted temporary relief by the court system recently. However, the defendant in the case has yet to comply with the court order. On June 8, 2006, a motion was filed by the attorney representing these residents asking that the mining company responsible for allegedly destroying their wells and water table be ordered to provide water replacement. This motion was granted on July 24, 2006, and Circuit Court Judge Michael Thornsbury decreed that the defendants, Rawl Sales and Processing Co., a subsidiary of Massey Energy Co., provide one case of bottled water per person every week to 194 individuals. Water replacement was to be made within 72 hours at the Rawl Church of God in Christ. The defendants were under a legal obligation to supply the bottled water by July 27. However, the defendants failed to comply with the order and in facsimile correspondence with the residents legal counsel indicated they had not agreed to provide the water. As of 9:30 a.m., Friday, July 28, approximately 22 individuals, who were desperate for water, according to their attorney, were turned away from the church because of the defendants failure to supply water at the designated time and place. Construction is currently ongoing to extend waterlines to the affected areas and residents will be getting water from the city of Williamson. However, the entire project is not expected to be completed until 2007 (See related story on page 7.)
|
||||||||||
|
|||||||||||
