West Virginia Subpoenas Alpha Natural Resource Lenders Over Reclamation Issues

The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection continues its efforts to ensure that the bankruptcy of Alpha Natural Resources Inc. doesn’t leave state taxpayers on the hook to pay for cleaning up the mess left by its operations in the state.

Bailey Glasser attorney Kevin Barrett of the firm’s Charleston, West Virginia, office is representing the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection.

An article (subscription required) in SNL Financial notes that DEP has filed subpoenas seeking information from Alpha’s lenders about the ability of the company to post bonds and meet coal mine reclamation obligations.

Barrett subpoenaed hedge funds and first-lien lenders Whitebox Advisors LLC, BlueMountain Capital Management LLC, Eaton Vance Corp., Midtown Acquisitions LP, Sankaty Advisors LLC, and Highbridge Capital Management LLC.