Keystone Bituminous Coal Ass'n v. DeBenedictus
United States Supreme Court
480 U.S. 470 (1987)
Relevant factsFree
Pennsylvania's Subsidence Act barred coal mining likely to cause subsidence, a significant, damage-causing problem in the state; Keystone (plaintiff) sued state officials (defendants), claiming the Act took its coal (by preventing mining) and its "support estate" rights (a distinct Pennsylvania property interest) without compensation. At the time of suit, the law had not actually prevented any coal from being mined, and the trial and circuit courts found no taking.
IssueFree
Whether a state law preventing mining companies from extracting all the coal in their mines triggers the just-compensation requirement by taking the coal that may not be mined.
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