Scott Pham
How We Measured the Environmental Cost of Bankrupt Mines
Using data from Kentucky and West Virginia environmental regulators, ProPublica and Mountain State Spotlight found that mines that have gone through multiple bankruptcies in the past decade had a higher median number of environmental violations than nonbankrupt mines.
by Scott Pham for ProPublica; Ken Ward Jr., Mountain State Spotlight; and Joel Jacobs, ProPublica,
Local Reporting Network
How Bankruptcy Helps the Coal Industry Avoid Environmental Liability
Jeff Hoops built Blackjewel into the nation’s sixth largest coal company by acquiring bankrupt mines. When it declared bankruptcy, he pivoted to other ventures, leaving polluted streams and mud-shrouded roads in his wake.
by Ken Ward Jr., Mountain State Spotlight, and Alex Mierjeski, ProPublica, with data analysis by Scott Pham for ProPublica,
Local Reporting Network