Lexington is just one of many coal companies that use the same playbook and effectively offloaded or passed off its cleanup obligations. In some cases, these smaller companies don't have enough money and then taxpayers wind up holding the bag. If it turns out to be less expensive or if coal prices recover dramatically, some of those defunct mines become useful again.
As the US coal industry dwindles, big mining companies that once made a fortune are packing up–and leaving behind a staggering mess of destroyed land and poisoned water. So who’ll pay to clean it up? Bloomberg reporters Josh Saul and Zachary Mider spent time in coal country and join this episode to talk about the multi-billion-dollar game of pass the buck now playing out in Appalachia.
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