A federal judge issued contempt charges against Jay Justice, son of West Virginia Governor Jim Justice, and his company Bluestone Coke for ignoring court orders related to ongoing pollution at an idled coke plant in Birmingham, Alabama.
Dennis Pillion reports for Inside Climate News.
In short:
- Bluestone Coke is accused of continuing to pollute a Birmingham neighborhood with toxic runoff despite the plant being closed for nearly three years.
- The company has repeatedly failed to comply with court orders, leading to civil contempt charges.
- Residents of the affected area have long suffered from pollution, with some properties being heavily contaminated.
Key quote:
“Bluestone Coke parachuted into North Birmingham, took what they could, and left Alabamians to clean up their mess.”
— Sarah Stokes, attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center
Why this matters:
The continued pollution threatens the health of local residents, highlighting systemic environmental injustice. The case exemplifies challenges in holding companies accountable for environmental damage.
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