West Virginia can now let coal companies skip some cleanup costs
What happened
The US Interior Department approved changes to West Virginia's coal mining rules. This means coal companies in the state can avoid some environmental cleanup costs they previously had to pay.
Why it matters
West Virginia has been trying to reduce the financial burden on coal companies for years. This rule change allows the state to let companies off the hook for certain reclamation bonds, which are funds set aside for environmental restoration after mining. It shifts some of the risk of future cleanup from private companies to the public.
The signal
Watch for the first few instances where West Virginia waives reclamation bonds for coal companies, and whether those sites are eventually cleaned up or become public liabilities.