Lawyers for the federal government are asking a judge to hold 23 coal companies owned by Gov. Jim Justice and his family in contempt. The companies failed to meet the terms of a settlement agreement over mine safety fines, often made late payments, and missed a final payment of nearly half a million dollars five months ago.
In a filing on Tuesday in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia, federal officials included emails reminding the Justice companies’ lawyer about overdue or missing payments. The lawyers noted that the companies have consistently been late in making payments.
The filing emphasized that the government uses monetary penalties to enforce the Mine Act and ensure companies comply with health and safety standards to protect miners.
The case dates back to 2014 when the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) found hundreds of violations at about 50 mines owned by Justice. The Justice companies failed to pay fines totaling $4,776,370 from 2014 to 2019. In 2019, federal prosecutors filed a lawsuit to collect the debt. The companies agreed in 2020 to pay a little over $5 million, with monthly payments of $102,442, due to be fully paid by March 1, 2024.
The companies started missing payments in December 2021 and January 2022. Payments improved somewhat after the federal officials filed a notice of non-compliance, but in early 2023, they missed payments again. The federal prosecutors asked the court to intervene, and in June, the judge ordered the companies to pay the overdue amount. However, the Justice companies still owe $579,041.
The federal lawyers argue that the Justice companies have repeatedly ignored their obligations under the Mine Act, resulting in penalties and lawsuits. They now seek a civil contempt order against the companies.
Jim Justice, the patriarch of the family business, is running for U.S. Senate and is considered a frontrunner. He has previously claimed that the federal actions against his companies were politically motivated. Justice has stated that he is not directly involved in the family businesses anymore and has assured that issues will eventually be resolved.