A $43 million settlement between coal producer Peabody Energy Corp. and the federal government was approved this week by a bankruptcy judge in Missouri.
The settlement covers environmental liabilities involving a Peabody subsidiary at 13 Superfund sites that were left contaminated by heavy metal mining and production.
U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Barry S. Schermer approved the deal and brings an end to claims filed against Peabody and its subsidiary Gold Fields Mining LLC, which also was a Chapter 11 debtor.
Claims had been brought against Gold Fields Mining by the federal government representing seven Native American tribes and five Midwestern states.