United States v. Manning Coal Corp.

OPINION

WILKINSON, Circuit Judge:

We have before us consolidated appeals which bear upon the administration of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (the “SMCRA”), 30 U.S.C. §§ 1201 et seq. We must initially interpret a contract in which Manning Coal Corporation promised to reimburse Red River Coal Company for its liability to the United States on SMCRA reclamation fees which Manning *119Coal and Red River mutually owed. Red River settled with the government. The district court held that the contract obligated Manning Coal to pay Red River for this settlement, because the contract did not…