DOJ sues coal firms owned by Jim Justice’s family

by Rachel Frazin and Zack Budryk - 05/31/23 6:06 PM ET

Energy & Environment

The Big Story

DOJ announces civil action against coal mines owned by West Virginia governor’s son

The Justice Department on Wednesday announced a civil action against coal mines owned by the son of 2024 West Virginia Senate candidate Gov. Jim Justice (R).

In the announcement, the Department of Justice (DOJ) alleged coal companies owned by Justice’s son, Jim Justice III, committed more than 130 violations of federal mining laws between 2018 and 2022 and ignored warnings to halt operations until they were resolved.

The elder Justice, who is challenging vulnerable incumbent Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), suggested in a wide-ranging press briefing Wednesday that the action was politically motivated.

“The Biden administration is aware of the fact that with a win for the U.S. Senate, and everything, we could very well flip the Senate… government agencies can sometimes surely react, and this could be something in regard to that,” he said.

Read more in a full report at TheHill.com.

Welcome to The Hill’s Energy & Environment newsletter, we’re Rachel Frazin and Zack Budryk — keeping you up to speed on the policies impacting everything from oil and gas to new supply chains.

Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here.

Essential Reads

How policy will affect the energy and environment sectors now and in the future:

Biden administration announces $161 million toward public lands restoration

The Biden administration on Wednesday announced it will put $161 million toward restoring ecosystems on federal lands in 11 Western states.

Full Story

Seaweed mixing with plastics could provide fertile ground for flesh-eating bacteria, research shows

(WFLA) — Researchers from Florida Atlantic University (FAU) fear a pathogen could be breeding amid the rising levels of seaweed known as sargassum found washing up on some Florida beaches.

Full Story

NHTSA planning to require automatic emergency braking on new vehicles

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the top federal roadway safety agency, proposed a rule Wednesday to require all new vehicles to include automatic emergency brakes.

Full Story

In Other News

Branch out with a different read on The Hill:

California Senate advances bill to expedite transmission projects, modernize electricity grid

As California ramps up renewable energy production to meet statewide climate goals, new legislation is aiming to expedite the integration of equipment that shuttles electricity from point A to point …

Full Story

What We’re Reading

News we’ve flagged from other outlets touching on energy issues, the environment and other topics:

As rising oceans threaten NYC, study documents another risk: The city is sinking (The Associated Press)
Sustainable Wood Buildings May Be the Next Frontier for Carbon Offsets (Bloomberg)
Minnesota Emerges as the Midwest’s Leader in the Clean Energy Transition (Inside Climate News)
Exxon and Chevron shareholders cut support for climate resolutions (The Financial Times)

On Tap

Upcoming news themes and events we’re watching:

The House is expected to vote Wednesday evening on a bill to raise the debt limit that includes significant energy provisions.
The Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee will hold a hearing Thursday to examine the reliability and resiliency of electric service in the U.S. in light of recent reliability assessments and alerts.

What Others are Reading

Two key stories on The Hill right now:

Debt ceiling live updates: House passes rule vote

The debt ceiling bill is headed toward passage in the House Wednesday evening after it cleared a key procedural hurdle. Read more

Trump pledges to end birthright citizenship on first day in office

Former President Trump is returning to his calls to remove birthright citizenship, with his 2024 White House campaign announcing Tuesday he would seek to end it via executive order on his first day in office. Read more

Opinions in The Hill

Op-eds related to energy & environment submitted to The Hill: