[Wildcatk23]

What should Massey have done with the slurry? They had an approved, permitted impoundment designed by competent engineers for slurry disposal. Why was it wrong for them to dispose of the slurry in a legal manner?

Spadaro and his teammates had been uncovering information that had far-reaching implications for both Massey Energy (the parent company of Martin County Coal and a major contributor to the Republican Party) and the coal industry as a whole. Testimony and documents revealed that executives at Martin County Coal and federal regulators were aware that there was potential for a catastrophic failure at the slurry impoundment but didn't take proper actions to avoid it. In particular, an MSHA engineer had made a list of specific safety recommendations to Martin County Coal and MSHA district officials following a 100-million gallon spill in May 1994. But MSHA and Martin not only largely ignored the recommendations, MSHA actually allowed Martin to add coal waste to its impoundment.

They knew of The risk. And Yet Couldnt Care less for what could have happened. They could have made another pond. If the thing was a hazard with a 100 million gallons kinda pushing it with 300 million gallons dont you think.