Massey Agrees to Medical Monitoring in West Virginia Slurry Case

Massey Energy will set up a medical monitoring fund for southern West Virginia residents who claim the company poisoned their wells with coal slurry.

General Counsel Shane Harvey said a second mediation attempt failed to settle every issue in a long-running lawsuit against Massey and its Rawl Sales & Processing subsidiary.

But a deal was reached on a key part of the case — medical monitoring for those who believe their health is at risk from contaminated well water.

Massey contends its operations didn’t hurt anyone. But Harvey says the fund will provide for health evaluations that should ease the plaintiffs’ concerns.

He didn’t say how much Virginia-based Massey will spend.

Attorneys for the plaintiffs didn’t immediately comment.