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.

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.

And now, in settling with coal companies, DEP officials are only seeking fines for water pollution violations since July 2006. They cite the agency's "improved ability" since that date "to evaluate data regarding compliance with permitted effluent limits.

The ICG deal resolves more than 200 violations, but the total number is not clear because DEP has yet to release a copy of one of the seven settlements.

The total in fines for the six settlements that were made public was $396,000, but company officials said the total for all seven was about $437,000.

Of those that DEP has made public, the largest fine was $207,000 paid by ICG subsidiary Patriot Mining for 115 violations of the company's water pollution permit.

ICG spokesman Ira Gamm said that each company covered by a settlement will develop and implement a "comprehensive reporting plan" for water quality compliance, and specific corrective action plans were needed.

"International Coal Group and its subsidiaries are committed to working with the WVDEP to operate its mining complexes in West Virginia in accordance with all applicable environmental laws," Gamm said in a statement. "To that end, the company is taking the actions necessary to achieve and maintain compliance with WVDEP permits."

The ICG deals are now subject to 30-day public comment periods ending July 4.

To contact staff writer Ken Ward Jr., use e-mail or call 348-1702.