Certification revoked from West Virginia lab that falsified coal water quality reports

The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection has revoked the state certification of Appalachian Laboratories after an official plead guilty to falsifying water quality samples for coal companies, Ken Ward reports for the Charleston Gazette. The official testified before a federal judge that he was pressured by coal companies to alter results.

DEP released an order saying that Appalachian Laboratories “submitted false, inaccurate data to its clients” and to the agency and ordered Appalachian to notify its clients that its certification had been revoked, Ward writes. In West Virginia, companies are required to be certified to perform water quality analysis. DEP rules allow the agency to revoke a lab certification if the lab "commits any falsification relating to certification, testing or reporting of analytical results." (Read more)