U.S. Attorney Clifford D. Johnson | U.S. Department of Justice
U.S. Attorney Clifford D. Johnson | U.S. Department of Justice
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana has announced a judgment against Eagle Stone, Inc., a mining company in Southern Indiana, for failing to pay civil penalties related to federal mining health and safety violations.
Eagle Stone operated Gosport Stone, a crushed limestone mining operation in Owen County, Indiana. From 2019 to 2022, the Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) imposed numerous civil penalties on Eagle Stone for worker safety violations at the Gosport Stone site. These violations included faulty brakes on vehicles, inadequate insulation of electrical wiring, and unsafe storage practices for hazardous chemicals, posing risks to employee health and safety. The company ceased operations around 2022 and currently has no employees.
In 2023, the Departments of Justice and Labor filed a lawsuit against Eagle Stone in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana to recover unpaid penalties with interest. Eagle Stone agreed to a court order requiring it to pay $110,000 immediately to settle these civil penalties. On September 19, 2024, the court entered a consent judgment mandating that Eagle Stone pay $110,000 to the government.
“Miners and other professionals in the field deserve a safe workplace as they do important jobs of our communities and our economy,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “When companies disregard safety standards, they must be held accountable. This judgment and recovery on behalf of the public demonstrates that the Department of Justice and Department of Labor are committed to ensuring that companies pay fines for endangering workers and do not evade accountability.”
Solicitor of Labor Seema Nanda supported Myers's remarks: “When employers avoid their legal obligations, the U.S. Department of Labor will use its enforcement powers to hold them accountable,” she said. “We are pleased to partner with the Department of Justice in implementing vigorous enforcement strategies to ensure that mine operators are held accountable when they cut corners on mine safety and health.”
Assistant Secretary for Mine Safety and Health Chris Williamson added: “Civil penalties are one of the primary mechanisms MSHA uses to compel operators to improve safety and health conditions at their mines,” he said. “I thank Zachary Myers and his office for their efforts to pursue unpaid civil penalties. Those efforts will make miners in Indiana, and across the country, safer and healthier.”
U.S. Attorney Myers expressed gratitude towards Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Taylor Kirklin and Jason Grover from the Department of Labor’s Office of the Solicitor who litigated this case.
Members of the public can report environmental concerns or issues related to environmental justice in Southern Indiana by emailing USAINS-Environmental@usdoj.gov.
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