Murray Energy Corp. is looking to recoup $3.9 million in expenses lost along the way to a court win that forces the U.S. EPA to account for coal jobs lost due to the Clean Air Act.
The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia ordered the EPA to submit a tally of the effect of its Clean Air Act regulations on coal miners. When the agency claimed it would take years to comply with the October 2015 order, the judge responded with a July 1 deadline.
The requested $3.9 million award includes expert witness fees, attorney fees, and other disbursements.
Murray Energy wrote it is entitled to compensation for its expenses because it prevailed on the merits of the case. It also accused then EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy of prolonging and complicating the nearly three-year long litigation process. The company also said because the relief won is of national importance, the company should not alone bear the financial burden.
The lawsuit is one many that Murray Energy has filed challenging the actions of the Obama administration.