Martin County Slurry Spill 2000

In October 2000, Martin County, Kentucky, experienced one of the worst environmental disasters in U.S. history when a coal slurry impoundment broke and unleashed more than 300 million gallons of toxic sludge. The black wave contaminated over 100 miles of waterways, fouled drinking water supplies, and coated riverbanks in a thick, tar-like mess-making it 25 times larger than the Exxon Valdez oil spill.

The company responsible, Martin County Coal, tried to dodge accountability by calling the spill an "act of God" in court. Environmental groups and locals weren't buying it, and the disaster became a rallying point for stricter mining waste regulations.

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