A Superior Court judge has ordered Horizon 30 LLC to immediately halt its mining operations along the Nolichucky River.
The ruling, issued August 11th at the Watauga County Courthouse in Boone, prohibits the company from removing any materials from the site and requires it to submit a reclamation plan within 30 days. The state has filed an injunction to keep the operation shut down until proper environmental permits are obtained.
Failure to comply could result in civil or criminal contempt charges, the judge warned.
Horizon’s attorney told the court the company stopped mining on August 9th The unpermitted operation has drawn complaints from residents and attention from local and state officials.
According to the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality, Horizon 30 lacked the required environmental permits. In filings to the state, the company said it was supplying materials for emergency repairs to CSX railroad lines damaged by Hurricane Helene.
Photos courtesy N.C. Division of Energy, Mineral and Land Resources
