Skip to content
ProPublica Donate
ProPublica Donate

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.

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.

Local Reporting Network