Interesting news came in  last night … The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has suspended a permit for a new Massey Energy surface mine, the Reylas Surface Mine in Logan County, W.Va.

Lawyers for the Corps filed a motion with U.S. District Judge Robert C. Chambers, seeking a “voluntary remand” of the permit.  Corps officials said they decided to suspend the permit to conduct a further review of it, and said they could reinstate, modify or revoke the permit after that review. The agency said:

The Corps has undertaken further review of the challenged permit decision and has determined that the permit decision merits further consideration

Readers may recall that environmental groups filed suit to challenge this permit, and Chambers issued a temporary restraining order. A more detailed preliminary injunction hearing had been scheduled to start on May 10.

Here’s the Department of Justice’s new legal filing in the case: