This shows what Department of Justice officials described a complete stream construction failure at a Crittenden County mine in 2011. (Photo courtesy U.S. Department of Justice. )

A Canadian firm has paid $3.2 million to settle claims involving failures to restore or replace streams and wetlands destroyed during strip mining in two Western Kentucky counties, the Department of Justice announced Thursday.

The case with the Elgin Mining Co. involved four permits in Muhlenberg and Crittenden counties issued between 2005 and 2009 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, authorities said. Two streams, for example, were obliterated with no attempt at mitigation, said Justice Department spokeswoman Stephanie Collins. Mitigation at two others was not completed, she said… Read Full Article