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This article originally provided by DailyPress
August 1, 2006
Massey accused of ignoring court order to provide drinking water
By the Associated Press
WILLIAMSON, W.Va. -- Residents of four Mingo County communities are accusing a Massey Energy Co. subsidiary of ignoring a court order that requires the company to provide drinking water to people whose water supply has been contaminated.A July 24 court order gave Rawl Sales & Processing Co. until Thursday to start providing cases of bottled water weekly to 194 people in the Lick Creek, Rawl, Merrimac and Sprigg areas. The order is related to litigation accusing Massey and Rawl of contaminating wells with coal slurry.
But the plaintiffs claim that at least some people aren't being given water, including 22 who were turned away from a distribution site Friday. So they're seeking a court order requiring Rawl to explain why it's ignoring the court order.
Rawl, meanwhile, is appealing on the grounds that most of the plaintiffs haven't proven they live near contaminated water. A spokesman for Richmond, Va.-based Massey could not immediately be reached for comment.
The city of Williamson is extending water lines to the area, but that work won't be done until next year.
About 450 plaintiffs have sued Massey and Rawl over the alleged contamination since September 2004, according to Massey's most recent quarterly report to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Massey said in the filing that its insurance should cover the damages.
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