International Coal Group will pay about $437,000 in fines in the second state Department of Environmental Protection deal this year over coal industry water pollution violations.
DEP officials disclosed settlements with seven subsidiaries of Scott Depot-based ICG in public notices issued earlier this week.
In mid-March, DEP agreed to a settlement with Alpha Natural Resources for $750,000 in fines.
The deals are part of a movement by the coal industry to resolve water pollution violations never previously cited by DEP, and avoid federal government enforcement actions or citizen group lawsuits.
DEP Secretary Randy Huffman has refused to say what other companies he is negotiating with, and denied a Freedom of Information Act request for documents about such talks.
Mike Zeto, the agency's chief inspector, has also refused to discuss any other ongoing negotiations with coal operators.
Industry officials have said that coal operators approached DEP seeking settlements with the state after Massey Energy paid a record $20 million to settle a water pollution lawsuit brought against it by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
EPA sued Massey over thousands of violations that DEP never cited because state officials for roughly five years never reviewed water pollution monitoring reports that coal companies submit every month.
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