IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF KANAWHA COUNTY, WEST Eamon. Clerk Cathy 'mri Mania-M1 MAR '25 .02.: HAROLD D. WARD, Director, Division of Mining and Reclamation, West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, Plaintiff, v. CIVIL ACTION NO. 520 '3 22, ERP ENVIRONMENTAL FUND, INC., Defendant. MOTION FOR TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER AND PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION AND TEMPORARY AND PRELIMINARY APPOINTMENT OF A SPECIAL RECEIVER After years of operating on a shoe-string budget with a challenging organizational and management structure and accruing, in the process, hundreds of violations of the surface mining and water pollution laws, the Defendant has reached the end of the line. The Defendant is woefully insolvent, has no cash, has no operating cash ?ow, has laid off all its management and employees, and, but for DEP and the Defendant?s surety bond issuer stepping in and providing limited emergency funding over the past few weeks, would not have been able to carry on even the very limited operations it has maintained up to now. Meanwhile, the violations and unabated enforcement orders have continued to mount and indeed accelerate. Just in the last month, DEP issued roughly forty orders to show cause relating to unabated cessation orders relating to dozens of outstanding and unabated violations of their permits and surface mining and water pollution control laws. And even more problematically the Defendant?s cessation of operations has left the Defendant?s many mining sites unmanned, unsecured, unmaintained, and in various stages of land and water disturbance and incomplete reclamation that, without immediate and decisive action, will begin to threaten imminent and identi?able harm to the public?s health and safety on many of its mine sites. Of particular concern to DEP is the Defendant?s Tygart River Mine complex in Marion County commonly referred to as the ?Martinka? mine. The Martinka underground mine has been shuttered for years. But water naturally builds up in the mine. To avoid ?artesianing??the topping of water above the mine?s natural ?pool? that would result in uncontrolled, untreated and contaminated discharge of polluted water from the minefthe Martinka mine must be constantly pumped with the removed water treated for contaminants. The costs associated with the pumping and discharge have run nearly $900,000 annually. As the Defendant?s operating cash ?ow has deteriorated and now dried up completely, the Defendant has engaged in only intermittent and sporadic pumping and treatment of the Martinka ?mine pool.? Without consistent pumping and treatment, the water in the mine steadily rose at the rate of about one foot per week to levels that risked artesianing and sending contaminated water into the Tygart River, the source of drinking water for thousands of West Virginians. Faced with an immediate threat to the public health and safety, DEP (and the Defendant?s surety bond issuer) stepped in with limited emergency funding to pump the mine pool down and treat the polluted water. But without further immediate action on the part of this Court particularly with the advent of spring, the situation will reverse and the water levels will rise, with the concomitant threat to the public health and safety. The situation at Martinka represents the proverbial canary in the coal mine and signals the serious issues involved in the Defendant?s cessation of operations. Without immediate funding and effective management oversight of its environmental liabilities and operations, any one or all of Defendant?s mine sites in West Virginia could soon become the next Martinka, placing the environment and the health and safety of many thousands of West Virginians at signi?cant risk on a much broader scale. Indeed, DEP stands poised at the precipice of having to revoke the Defendant?s permits, forfeiting the associated surety bonds, and transferring the responsibility for cleaning up the Defendant?s mess to the State?s Special Reclamation Fund, potentially bankrupting the Defendant?s principal surety and administratively and ?nancially overwhelming the Special Reclamation Fund, the State?s principal backstop for all revoked and forfeited mine sites in West Virginia. DEP has determined, however, after an initial review and investigation of the Defendant?s assets and ?nancial situation, that it need not take such a drastic and risky step at this point. The Defendant has signi?cant assets, the effective, ef?cient, and well-managed liquidation of which may generate substantial proceeds that might be employed in bringing its operations into compliance with the law. DEP has also had extensive discussions with the Defendant?s surety bond issuer. The surety stands ready to immediately provide substantial interim funding to address pressing environmental compliance issues while DEP and the surety explore a long-term solution. But DEP and the surety have each independently determined that the Defendant?s present organizational and management structure cannot ensure either the effective liquidation of the Defendant?s assets, the proper management of the funds available, or the managerial or employee resources to bring it into compliance with the law. To put the matter bluntly, neither DEP nor the surety is willing to permit the Defendant to continue its operations and attempt environmental compliance under its current organizational and management structure. Each is willing, on the other hand, to fund and facilitate the Defendant?s compliance with its environmental obligations under the supervision and control of a quali?ed and capable receiver. administrative enforcement powers have proven, and in light of the Defendant?s ?nancial condition will continue to prove, incapable of addressing the Defendant?s far-?ung and ever-expanding failure to comply with the surface mining and water pollution control laws and regulations. Accordingly, DEP, pursuant to the enforcement powers granted to it by the West Virginia Surface Mining and Reclamation Act and Water Pollution Control Act, now seeks injunctive relief Compelling Defendant to comply with and focus its resources on its remediation and reclamation obligations under the surface mining and water pollution laws for the protection of the environment and the health and safety of the people of West Virginia. Moreover, ancillary to exercising its enforcement powers through such injunctive relief, DEP also seeks the appointment of a special receiver under applicable West Virginia law, with extensive experience as a mining professional and substantial ?nancial backing, to take control of the Defendant?s assets, operations, and affairs and carry out the immediate and ongoing reclamation and remediation obligations in accordance with such injunctive relief. It is only with the appointment of a special receiver that the Defendant?s operations can be appropriately funded and managed in compliance with the law. DEP acknowledges the extraordinary nature of the relief it requests herein. The exigencies of this case, however, demand extraordinary relief and, DEP submits, these circumstances present a textbook situation for the application of such extraordinary relief. Thus, pursuant to the power granted by the West Virginia Surface Mining and Reclamation Act and the West Virginia Water Pollution Control Act, DEP requests that this Court (1) enter a temporary restraining order immediately, and without preliminary hearing, compelling the Defendant to bring its operations into compliance with all applicable environmental laws and regulations, (2) enter a preliminary injunction compelling the Defendant?s ongoing compliance with the applicable environmental laws and regulations pending entry of a ?nal judgment in this action, after an evidentiary hearing to be held within, but not after, ten days of the entry of the temporary restraining order, and (3) appoint a special receiver immediately and without a preliminary hearing on a temporary basis and, after the further evidentiary hearing, pending entry of ?nal judgment in this action to take control of the Defendant?s assets, operations, and affairs to ensure the Defendant?s compliance with the environmental laws for the bene?t of all the Defendant?s stakeholders. FACTUAL BACKGROUND The af?davit of Harold D. Ward, the Deputy Secretary and Acting Director of the Division of Mining and Reclamation of the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (the ?Ward Af?davit?), ?led concurrently herewith, sets forth in detail the pertinent and salient facts relating to this Motion. DEP incorporates the Ward Af?davit herein as though set forth in full. ARGUMENT Given the breadth and depth of the Defendant?s violations of the environmental laws and regulations, the Defendant?s failure to abate innumerable cessation orders DEP has issued, and the imminent and identi?able threats to the public health and safety resulting therefrom, the need for immediate injunctive relief, both on a temporary and preliminary basis, could not be plainer. Nor, under the facts and circumstances of this case, could it be made more apparent that the Defendant does not have either the ?nancial, operational, managerial, or organizational ability to bring its own operations into compliance with the law. The Court should, therefore, enter a temporary order requiring the Defendant to bring its operations into compliance with the law and appointing a special receiver over the Defendant and set down this Motion for an evidentiary hearing to consider entry of a preliminary injunction and appointment of a special receiver pending the entry of a ?nal judgment in this action. I. The issuance of an ex parte temporary restraining order is appropriate because there is substantial risk that immediate and irreparable injury, loss or damage will occur before a preliminary hearing may be convened. West Virginia recognizes three species of ?injunction? under its rules of civil procedure: the temporary restraining order, the preliminary injunction, and the permanent injunction. Camden-Clark Memorial Hosp. Corp. v. Turner, 212 W. Va. 752, 758, 575 362, 368 (2002). ?Under Rule 65 a temporary restraining order differs from a preliminary injunction, though both serve the same purpose of maintaining the status quo. A temporary restraining order is generally limited in duration to 10 days, whereas a preliminary injunction generally remains until a ?nal determination on the merits of the action. A temporary restraining order may be obtained ex parte, but under Rule 65(a)(l) a preliminary injunction cannot be obtained without notice.? Franklin D. Cleckley, Robin J. Davis Louis J. Palmer, LITIGATION HANDBOOK ON WEST VIRGINIA RULES OF CIVIL PROCEDURE 1028 (2002). Unlike the preliminary injunction, an ex parte temporary restraining order is appropriate when ?the circumstances show that ?immediate and irreparable injury, loss, or damage will result to the applicant before the adverse party? can be heard.? Camden-Clark Memorial Hosp, 212 W. Va. at 757, 575 at 367. As set forth in detail in the Ward Af?davit, DEP has issued numerous notices of violation of the West Virginia surface mining laws and rules, numerous cessation orders, and numerous orders to Show cause to Defendant, all outlining the many violations of West Virginia law that have occurred and are now continuing under its permits. These violations remain outstanding and unabated by Defendant. And the Defendant has failed to respond in any manner to further orders with respect to those violations. Courts have recognized that ?an injunction is normally the proper remedy for violations of an environmental statute,? United States v. Prod. Plated Plastics, Inc., 762 F. Supp. 722, 729 (W.D. Mich. 1991), particularly in situations such as this where the applicable statute expressly provides for injunctive relief, see United States v. Oakland Cannabis Buyers Coop, 532 US. 483, 497-98 (2001) (?Once Congress, exercising its delegated powers has decided the order of priorities in a given area, it is . . . for the courts to enforce them when enforcement is sought. Courts of equity cannot, in their discretion, reject the balance that Congress has struck in a statute?). Indeed, both statutes involved in the instant case?the West Virginia Surface Coal Mining and Reclamation Act and Water Pollution Control Act?expressly authorize the Court to issue temporary injunctive relief. See W.VA. CODE 22-3-l7(j) In the instant case, moreover, there is with each passing day these Violations go unabated a signi?cant risk that the risk of harm to the public health and the environment will only increase. Of most immediate concern is Martinka. Without consistent pumping and treatment of water, Martinka?s mine pool will continue to rise, threatening to artesian and send polluted water into the Tygart River and the public water supply. That threat is particularly acute at this time of the year as water levels rise at accelerated rates in spring. Yet the Defendant has no operational resources or ability to address that threat. Thus, even a short delay in addressing the issue would threaten injury, loss, and damage before a hearing might be had. And with no ability to address any other issues that may arise on any of its sites at any time given its cessation of operations, there is a substantial ongoing threat of further harm to the public health and safety. This Court should accord determination in that regard great weight. DEP, to which the environmental regulation of the State?s mining sites has been entrusted, is uniquely quali?ed to assess and determine the threat to public health and safety that mining presents. That is, in fact, its statutory mandate and what it does on a daily basis. The West Virginia Legislature vested DEP with the authority to ?administer and enforce the provisions of [the surface mining law] as it relates to surface mining to accomplish the purposes of [the law]? W. Va. Code 22-3- and perform any and all acts necessary to carry out the purposes and requirements of [water pollution 1aw],? W. Va. Code In accordance with that authority, DEP oversees and implements the extensive permitting requirements under both laws. W. Va. Code 22-3-9, 22-3-18, 22-3-19, 22-3-21 (relating to the surface mining law); W. Va. Code 22- (12), (13), 22?11-8 22-11?1 1 (relating to the water pollution law). It evaluates and oversees the implementation of the complex and technical requirements regarding mining and reclamation. Code 22-3-10 22-3?23. It promulgates rules establishing and implements water quality standards. W. Va. Code 22-11-7b. DEP employs mining supervisors and inspectors, W. Va. Code 22-3?5 22-3-6, who conduct extensive, ongoing inspections of surface mining operations to ensure that operators comply with the applicable mining and water treatment requirements. W. Va. Code 22-3-15. In the exercise of its powers over the thirty- plus years West Virginia has administered those laws, DEP (or its predecessor) has also overseen the reclamation of, and ongoing water treatment at, hundreds of mining sites in West Virginia. As the United States Court of Appeals has noted, ?traditional principles of equity? hold that ?when the United States or a sovereign state sues in its capacity as protector of the public interest, a court may rest an injunction entirely upon a determination that the activity at issue constitutes a risk of danger to the public.? United States v. Marine Shale Processors, 81 F.3d 1329, 1359 (5th Cir. 1996); see also Environmental Defense Fund v. Lamphier, 714 F.2d 331, 337-38 (4th Cir. 1983) (?Where the plaintiff is a sovereign and where the activity may endanger the public health, injunctive relief is proper, without resort to balancing [of Indeed, as Justice Holmes noted long ago, sovereigns are ?somewhat more certainly entitled to speci?c relief than a private party might be.? Georgia v. Tennessee Copper Co., 206 US. 230, 237 (1907). DEP submits that, given the risk of imminent and identi?able threat to public health and safety and the environment, it is essential that a temporary restraining order be entered so as to provide a bridge to more permanent relief after an evidentiary hearing on request for preliminary injunction. II. A preliminary injunction is both necessary and appropriate to ensure that Defendant abates its continuing and ongoing violations of applicable law. By this motion, DEP also seeks preliminary injunctive relief pursuant to Section 17 of the West Virginia Surface Mining and Reclamation Act, W.VA. CODE 22-3-170), and Section 22 of the Water Pollution Control Act, W. VA. CODE 22-11-22. Speci?cally, Section 170) gives the director authority to ?institute a civil action for relief, including permanent and temporary injunction, restraining order or any other appropriate order, in the circuit court of Kanawha County or any court of competent jurisdiction to compel compliance and enjoin such violations, failures or refusals? pertaining to any order and decision of the director. W. VA. CODE 22-3- 170). Similarly, the director may seek ?om the circuit courts of this State, a temporary or preliminary injunction compelling compliance with and enjoining violations of the Water Pollution Control Act. W. VA. CODE The Supreme Court has also long held that a court of equity has jurisdiction to enter a preliminary injunction. See, Syl. pt. 3, Weatherholt v. Weatherholt, 234 W. Va. 722, 769 872 (2015) (citing syl. pt. 4, Johnson v. Gould, 60 84, 53 SE. 798 (1906)). Deciding whether to grant a preliminary injunction ?calls for the exercise of sound judicial discretion in view of all the circumstances of the particular case; regard being had to the nature of the controversy, the object for which the injunction is being sought, and the comparative hardship or convenience to the respective parties involved in the award or denial of the writ.? pt. 2, Camden-Clark Mem?l Hosp. Corp. v. Turner, 212 W. Va. 752, 575 SE. 2d 362 (2002). In ruling upon a motion for injunctive relief, West Virginia courts use a balance of hardship test. Jefferson County Bd. 0f Educ. v. Je?erson County Educ. Ass ?11, 183 15, 24, 393 653, 662 (1990). Under this standard, the court must consider, in ?exible interplay, the following four factors: (1) the likelihood of irreparable harm to the plaintiff without injunction; (2) the likelihood of harm to the defendant with an injunction; (3) the plaintiff?s likelihood of success on the merits; and (4) the public interest. Camden-Clark Memorial Hosp. Corp, 212 at 756, 575 at 366 (citing Jefferson662). In this case, DEP can demonstrate that all of the factors weigh heavily in favor of injunctive relief. A. There is no dispute that the Defendant is in material and continuing default of its obligations under its permits and applicable law. As noted, the Ward Af?davit outlines the Defendant?s many and mounting violations of West Virginia law that have occurred and are now continuing under its permits. These violations remain outstanding and unabated by Defendant. The Defendant has, in fact, acknowledged and agreed that it is in material default of its obligations under its permits and its reclamation agreement with DEP. And even if Defendant were not in agreement, it has failed to challenge any of the orders issued by DEP or the assessment of civil penalties per available administrative remedies. There is, therefore, no question regarding the Defendant?s ongoing and continuing violations of the law. Indeed, as the United States Supreme Court has noted, such violations, 10 standing alone, may merit the issuance of injunctive relief where, as here, the legislature has speci?ed injunctive relief as the remedy for such violations. See United States v. Oakland Cannabis Buyers? Coop, 532 US. at 497-98. B. The Defendant?s failure to comply with the environmental laws threatens immediate and irreparable harm to the public and the environment. Both the surface mining and water pollution control acts were designed explicitly to address imminent and identi?able threats to the environment and the public health and safety. See, W. VA. CODE (enumerating the wide-ranging adverse effects of unreclaimed surface?mining operations). West Virginia?s history is, indeed, littered with catastrophic examples of the need to ensure proper controls and compliance with the mining laws. And, in this case, the situation at Martinka amply illustrates that the threats posed are more than simply theoretical; they are real, immediate, and irreparable. DEP submits that the existing and ongoing threats to the public health and safety and the environment that the legislature identi?ed and acknowledged in enacting the surface mining and water pollution control acts warrant the issuance of an injunction requiring the Defendant to comply with applicable law pending a ?nal judgment with respect to its acknowledged and ongoing violations of the law. As noted above, determination in that regard may, standing alone, justify the issuance of injunctive relief. See United States v. Marine Shale Processors, 81 F.3d at 1359 (?when the United States or a sovereign state sues in its capacity as protector of the public interest, a court may rest an injunction entirely upon a determination that the activity at issue constitutes a risk of danger to the Moreover, courts have recognized that environmental harm ?by its nature, can seldom be adequately remedied by money damages and is often permanent or at least of long duration, i. irreparable.? Amoco Prod. Co. v. Village of Gambell, 480 US. 531, 545 (1987); see also Nat ?l 11 Audubon Soc?y v. Dept. of Navy, 422 F.3d 174, 201 (4th Cir. 2005); Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition v. US. Army Corps of Engineers, 528 F. Supp. 2d 625, 631 (SD. W. Va. 2007) (?because damage to the environment is often irreversible, this harm is frequently justi?cation for a restraining order or an injunction?), rev ?d on other grounds, 556 F.3d 177 (4th Cir. 2009); United States v. Prod. Plated Plastics, Inc., 762 F. Supp. 722, 729 (W.D. Mich. 1991) (?an injunction is normally the proper remedy for violations of an environmental statute?). C. The Defendant will suffer no cognizable harm from the issuance of a preliminary injunction compelling its compliance with applicable law. In the face of a defendant?s established violations of the law, the Court?s role in entering an injunction is limited, particularly when it comes to balancing the harm to the enjoined party. As the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals has stated, ?[w]here the plaintiff is a sovereign and where the activity may endanger the public health, injunctive relief is proper, without resort to balancing [of harms].? Environmental Defense Fund v. Lamphter, 714 F.2d at 337-38. Even if the Court were to engage in a balancing of the harms, the ?balance of harms will usually favor the issuance of an injunction to protect the environment.? Amoco, 480 US. at 545. When a sovereign sues to enforce a law that authorizes injunctive relief with respect to a defendant?s violations of the law, the balancing of equities weighs heavily in the sovereign?s favor because legislature ?has already balanced the equities and has determined that, as a matter of public policy, an injunction should issue where the defendant is engaged in, or is about to engage in, any activity which the statute prohibits.? Burlington N. RR. Co. v. Bair, 957 .2d 599, 601-02 (8th Cir. 1992) (citing Atchison, T. SF. Ry. v. Lennen, 640 F.2d 255, 259, 261 (10th Cir. 1981)). In this context, the Court?s responsibility is ?crafting a remedy that is protective of public health, and this responsibility necessarily takes preeminence over all other 12 considerations.? United States v. Alisa] Water Corp, 326 F. Supp. 2d 1010, 1027 (ND. Cal. 2002) Indeed, the only harm that will befall the Defendant if injunctive relief is granted will be this Court?s directive to Defendant to comply with its existing legal obligations to abate violations and reclaim and remediate its mining sites. The ?harm? then is something that Defendant is already legally required to do under its permits and West Virginia law. Indeed, the Defendant took on these obligations with full knowledge of the extent and expense of such endeavors when it acquired and took the transfer of its permits in 2015 and 2016. The Defendant must comply with the terms and conditions of its permits and West Virginia law even if it is ?nancially painful to do so. D. The public interest overwhelmingly favors compelling the Defendant to comply with the environmental laws and regulations governing its business. Where, as in this case, a defendant indisputably has violated statutes, the question for a court considering whether to issue an injunction ?is simply whether a particular means of enforcing the statute should be chosen over another permissible means . . . . To the extent the [court] considers the public interest and the conveniences of the parties, the court is limited to evaluating how such interest and conveniences are affected by the selection of an injunction over other enforcement mechanisms.? United States v. Oakland Cannabis Buyers? Coop, 5 32 U.S. 483, 497-98 (2001) (internal citations and quotations omitted). The State legislature enacted the surface mining and water pollution control laws in accordance with the federal surface mining and water pollution control laws to expand the State?s protection of the public and the environment from the adverse effects of unregulated coal mining operations through effective control of those operations, while assuring coal production necessary to the nation's energy requirements and the state's economic well-being. Cumutte v. 13 Callaghan, 188 W. Va. 494, 496, 425 170, 172 (1992). ?It is remedial legislation that has as one of the primary purposes the protection of the public from the potentially destructive effects that mining may have on our lands, forests and waters.? Am?co, Inc. v. Dodge Fuel Corp, 209 W. Va. 644, 646, 550 622, 624 (2001). The Defendant, with its eyes wide open, knowingly assumed the operation of former mine sites with enormous environmental issues and obligations associated with them. Indeed, it entered into an extensive reclamation agreement with DEP g0verning its reclamation and remediation obligations in connection with and pursuant to its agreement to take the transfer of its permits. Plainly, the equities of this case weigh in favor of the issuance of a preliminary injunction compelling the Defendant to comply with permits, laws, and regulations it knowingly assumed. West Virginia law authorizes the Court to appoint a special receiver under the circumstances present here. West Virginia law authorizes the Court to appoint a special receiver to ensure the Defendant?s compliance with the law. Speci?cally, West Virginia law states: A court of equity may, in any proper case pending therein, in which funds or property of a corporation, ?rm or person is involved, and there is danger of the loss or misappropriation of the same or a material part thereof, appoint a special receiver of such funds or property, or of the rents, issues and pro?ts thereof, or both. W. VA. CODE 53-6-1. To warrant the appointment of a special receiver under Section 53-6-1, the party seeking the appointment must show that (1) he has a clear right to the property itself, that he has some lien upon it, or that the property constitutes a special fund to which he has a right to resort for the satisfaction of the claim; and that (2) the possession of the property by the possessor was obtained in fraud, or that the property itself, or the income arising from it, is in 14 danger of loss from the neglect, waste, misconduct or insolvency of the possessor. State ex. rel. Battle v. Hereford, 148 W. Va. 97, 105, 133 86, 91 (1963).1 Both of those conditions are satis?ed here. A. DEP has liens and other interests in the Defendant?s property. As set forth in the Ward Af?davit, DEP has liens in the Defendant?s property pursuant to a settlement agreement and deposit account control agreement executed by the parties in connection with Patriot Coal Corporation?s bankruptcy case in 2015. Therein, the Defendant granted DEP a security interest in various of its assets, including the proceeds from Defendant?s coal sales and other sources and the proceeds realized upon phased bond releases. Indeed, the agreements required the Defendant to deposit all such funds and proceeds into a deposit account over which DEP has had full and complete control and, accordingly, a possessory security interest in all of the Defendant?s cash ?ow since 2015 or 2016. Thereafter and on at least two different occasions, the Defendant has granted DEP a security interest in other assets, including equipment, real property, and coal reserves. In granting DEP security interests in the foregoing, Defendant gave DEP a security interest in virtually all of Defendant?s business operations, thus entitling DEP to seek the appointment of a special receiver under Section 53?6-1. B. The Defendant?s property is in danger of loss from neglect, waste, misconduct or insolvency. In connection with its second bankruptcy ?ling in 2015, Patriot Coal Corporation divided its permits and mining sites in two. It transferred one set of permits and sites with substantial ongoing operations and reserves to Blackhawk Mining, a well-known mining company with a management steeped in the mining business. Just as it prepared to leave behind the remainder, Further, this Court has jurisdiction over this matter because a suit is pending before this Court involving the property or funds of a corporation, firm, or person. 15 the permits and mine sites that included Patriot?s massive and most intractable legacy environmental obligations and liabilities, in a liquidating trust, the Defendant?s principal stepped forward to assume those permits and the obligation to remediate and reclaim those mining sites. From its birth in the fall of 2015 and after agreeing to assume hundreds of millions of dollars of environmental liabilities, the Defendant has faced persistent ?nancial, organizational, and management challenges. Prior to assuming those obligations and liabilities, the Defendant and its principal had, literally, no experience in owning or operating a coal company, mining coal, or reclaiming and remediating former mining sites. Its principal?s prior occupation had been in the nursing home business. To reclaim and remediate the sites, the Defendant employed a former Patriot mining engineer with an undermanned staff and no prior experience as an executive of?cer of a coal company and no ?nancial experience. To be clear, DEP does not take issue with this mining engineer?s management. He did the best that he could do under the circumstances, even for longer than might have been expected. But the Defendant?s ?nances and corporate structure imposed almost impossible burdens and, now, the Defendant?s new reality requires different management capabilities than its now-former management possessed. The Defendant started out with virtually no cash, equity, or assets; it proposed to commit only the limited proceeds from the mining of coal incidental to reclamation, the uncertain cash ?ow from a separate coal mining operation, the potential proceeds of settlements in connection with the Patriot bankruptcy, and the subsequent anticipated release of cash collateral and other ?nancial assurance that Patriot had pledged to surety bond issuers or received from others to back its environmental obligations. Aside from the limited proceeds of incidental mining and the release of certain cash collateral, none of the other sources of cash ?ow ever materialized. The 16 other two sources supported the Defendant?s operations, albeit only in ?ts and spurts, for the better part of four years. But those sources have completely dried up; the Defendant does not even have the ability to mine coal incidental to reclamation to generate cash. To make matters worse, immediately after acquiring the Patriot permits, the Defendant?s principal embarked on an acquisition binge. That acquisition binge, at a minimum, often diverted the attention of the Defendant?s management from the operation of its own business, as it got pulled into the principal?s other acquisitions or bids. The Defendant?s principal largely disappeared from the scene at that time as he made bids for and acquired other mines and businesses and assets in other industries, including iron ore and steel-making, throughout the United States and beyond. At a minimum, he largely left his under-experienced, under-staffed management team to fend for themselves in a very dif?cult, if not virtually impossible, situation. DEP also believes that that acquisition binge and the resulting distractions may have adversely affected the Defendant?s ability to liquidate assets that might have been used (and may yet be used) for reclamation and remediation. To offset its intermittent cash ?ow crunches and almost constant shortage of funds, the Defendant incurred massive amounts of debt and encumber its limited assets. The Defendant has advised DEP that it amassed and currently owes more than $15 million in debt to its vendors and suppliers. In turn, most of those vendors and suppliers, some of whom provide critical services that the Defendants require in order to comply with their environmental obligations, cut off the Defendant?s credit and have declined to do business at all with the Defendant absent the payment of its arrearages. It has accrued liabilities associated with its former union employees, including large liabilities to its health care provider. To satisfy its obligations under a federal consent order, the Defendant granted liens in certain of its real property, property that might have been 17 otherwise liquidated and sold and devoted to environmental remediation, to environmental groups. A little over a year ago, the Defendant (or its predecessor by merger into the Defendant) transferred a massive and potentially valuable asset, the Hobet dragline, to a related company in connection with what appears to be an effort to encumber that asset to secure a $4 million-plus debt its principal and other third parties owe to a law ?rm. More recently, and in fact as recently as only three months ago, the Defendant also granted liens in real property to the law ?rm. Thus, not only has the Defendant transferred and encumbered its assets rather than liquidating them and using them for reclamation and compliance, but it also diverted their value to pay the obligations of other persons and entities, including its principal. These and likely other yet-to-be-discovered facts relating to the Defendant?s operations over the years establish the depth and breadth of the Defendant?s ?nancial distress and the organizational and management issues that have impeded the Defendant?s ability to continue to operate and manage its properties in compliance with the law and for the bene?t of all its stakeholders. The Defendant has no currently available sources of cash with which to continue its operations. Parties with funds that might be used to ensure its ability to perform its principal function?the reclamation and remediation of its mining sites in compliance with the law??are unwilling to provide funds to the Defendant, given the foregoing circumstances and the resulting loss of con?dence in the Defendant?s ability to manage its ?nances, operations, and affairs. The situation is ever more acute in light of the resignation of Defendant?s management and employee layoffs. Simply put, despite having assets with some substantial value and potential sources of funding, the Defendant simply cannot operate its business and assets in compliance with the law, a circumstance that will inevitably result in the complete loss of all the Defendant?s properties and assets to the detriment of all the Defendant?s stakeholders and the State of West Virginia. 18 It is, accordingly, essential that a special receiver be appointed to take control of the Defendant?s assets and properties to ensure their proper and effective management and use, including securing and committing the same to the Defendant?s legal obligations to comply with the law. C. DEP provided notice to the Defendant of its request for a special receiver. Section 53-6-1 provides, with respect to real estate, that ?no such receiver shall be appointed of any real estate, or of the rents, issues and pro?ts thereof, until reasonable notice of the application therefor has been given to the owner or tenant thereof.? W. VA. CODE 53-6? 1. And while not explicitly provided for in the statute, it has generally been held that notice is required for the application for a special receiver of personal property. Batson v. Findley, 52 W. Va. 343, 43 SE. 142 (1903). However, exceptions to the foregoing exist where notice would be unreasonable, would likely defeat the purpose for which a special receiver is necessary, or in cases of great emergency. Baltimore Bargain House v. St. Clair, 58 W. Va. 565, 52 S.E. 660 (1906). DEP submits that the facts and circumstances of the instant case warrant such immediate relief without notice. But that being said, the undersigned states that DEP has, in fact, provided notice of its application for the appointment of a special receiver to Defendant in advance of this ?ling. IV. The Court has the power to appoint a special receiver to ensure compliance with its injunctive relief. ?[T]he appointment of a receiver is not a matter of right. The power to appoint is a discretionary one, to be exercised with great circumspection. The discretion is not arbitrary or absolute, but sound and judicial.? Id. at 662. But, as courts in other jurisdictions have held, the appointment of a receiver to enforce the terms of an injunction is a matter within the discretion of the trial judge. See Consolidated Rail Corp. v. Fore River Ry., 861 F.2d 322, 326 (lst l9 Cir.l988); Van 0ss v. Premier Petroleum Co., 1 13 Me. 180, 189, 93 A. 72, 75 (1915); see also Department of Environmental Protection v. Emerson, 563 A.2d 762 (Me. 1989) (appointing a receiver after the owner of a tire storage and disposal facility violated a preliminary injunction requiring him to comply with the waste management, ?re protection, and water quality laws). When more traditional remedies such as further injunctive orders and contempt proceedings have not succeeded in obtaining compliance, ?a court of equity is justi?ed, particularly in aid of an outstanding injunction, in turning to less common ones, such as receivership, to get the job done.? Morgan v. McDonough, 540 F.2d 527, 533 (lst Cir.1976). In fact, several state and federal courts have granted motions by environmental regulatory agencies to impose receiverships on environmental violators. See, United States v. Government of Guam, 2008 WL 732796 (D. Guam, Mar. 17, 2008) (appointing receiver to bring land?ll into compliance with consent decree, court orders, and injunctions); United States v. Alisal Water Corp, 326 F. Supp. 2d 1010 (N .D. Cal. 2002) (appointing receiver to ensure defendant?s compliance with federal safe drinking water act); United States v. Acadia Woods Add. #2 Sewer Co., 41 F. Supp. 2d 632 (WD. La. 1999) (appointing receiver to run defendants? sewage treatment plants to secure compliance with clean water act); United States v. Alder Creek Water 1984 WL 178394 (D. Or. Apr. 23, 1984) (appointing receiver in safe drinking water act case after defendant failed to comply with a court order to lessen the health risks posed by defendant?s water systems and to comply with the act?s reporting and monitoring requirements), 823 F.2d 343 (9th Cir. 1987); United States v. City of Detroit, 476 F. Supp. 512 (ED. Mich. 1979) (appointing administrator to run City?s wastewater treatment plant to obtain compliance with clean water act); Town ofGreenwich v. Dep ?t of ransp. 1979 WL 30063 (D. Conn. Nov. 7, 1979) (appointing receiver to take control of Connecticut Department of 20 Transportation to close down power plant for violating clean air act regulations); State ex rel. Celebrezze v. Gibbs, 573 62 (Ohio 1991) (appointing receiver to correct sewage treatment de?ciencies at industrial park); Emerson, supra (appointing receiver to oversee operation of tire disposal facility and insure compliance with terms of preliminary injunction); Ohio v. ChemaDyne Corp, 1981 WL 5234 (Ohio App. Oct. 28, 1981) (appointing receiver to oversee removal of hazardous waste from defendants? property). Those courts have recognized that appointing a receiver to ensure compliance with the environmental laws is particularly appropriate when 0 there is a threat to public health and safety, see, e. g, Alisa] Water Corp, 326 F. Supp. 2d at 1027 (?the Court has the responsibility in this case of crafting a remedy that is protective of public health, and this responsibility necessarily takes preeminence over all other considerations?); Government of Guam, 2008 WL 732796, at *2 threat to public health may render legal remedies inadequate in environmental cases?); 0 the defendant has a history of noncompliance, see, e. Alisal Water Corp, 326 F. Supp. 2d at 1022 n.7 (?The duration and extent of Defendants? history of non? compliance leads the Court to conclude that the drastic remedy of a receivership is not only justi?ed but also City of Detroit, 476 F. Supp. at 517?18; Acadia Treatment Systems, 41 F. Supp. 2d at 633; the defendant lacks the management and personnel necessary to bring itself into compliance, see, Alisa] Water Corp, 326 F. Supp. 2d at 1024 (?Defendants lack the managerial competence to operate compliant drinking water systems?); Government of Guam, 2008 WL 732796, at 10 (?The Government of Guam lacks the resources, experienced personnel, and necessary support to comply with the Consent Decree on its own?); or the defendant lacks the ?nancial resources to ensure compliance, see, e. Alisa] Water Corp, 326 F. Supp. 2d at 1014 (?Defendants lack the ?nancial wherewithal to operate compliant drinking water systems. In light of these ?ndings, the Court concludes that the usual remedies are inadequate and that some form of receivership is necessary to get the job done?); Acadia Treatment Systems, 41 F. Supp. 2d at 634 the named defendants in this proceeding nor any subsidiary corporation or corporations or of?cers thereof have the ?nancial ability to conduct the current business of defendants in an environmentally sound manner to protect the public health or to secure the necessary capital from a lending institution to do 21 Each of these circumstances is present in this case and merits the appointment of a special receiver to ensure the Defendant?s compliance with the law and orders of this Court. A. There is an immediate threat to the public health and safety. As noted above, DEP has determined that the Defendant?s cessation of operations poses an immediate threat to the public health and safety. Martinka amply demonstrates that threat, as DEP had demonstrated the severity of the threat by stepping in to provide funding to keep the pumps at Martinka operating and continue water treatment. And now with the Defendant having laid off all its management and employees, it simply has no ability to address any threat to the public health and safety. B. The Defendant has not, and simply cannot, comply with the law. DEP has issued hundreds of notices of violations and cessation orders and forty show cause orders. The Defendant has neither abated the violations nor responded to the show cause orders. The Defendant has, in fact, af?rrnatively acknowledged in writing that it is and remains in material default of its obligations and, moreover, that it lacks management, employees and available sources of funds with which to comply with the law in the future. C. The Defendant lacks the management and employee resources to comply with the law. Having run out of cash and having no sources of cash flow, the Defendant has laid off its entire staff. It laid off its reclamation personnel more than ninety days ago. In the past week, it laid off all employees who conducted water testing required under the surface mining laws. It has laid off its principal executive of?cer and the Defendant?s manager. At this point, it appears that the Defendant has no management or employee resources with which to comply with its obligations under the surface mining and water pollution control laws. 22 D. The Defendant lacks the ?nancial resources to comply with the law. As noted, the Defendant has acknowledged its lack of ?nancial resources with which to comply with the law. Given the Defendant?s inability to abate existing violations or comply with the law in the future, the equities of the situation presently before this Court counsel in favor of the appointment of a well-funded special receiver to ensure the Defendant?s compliance with the law and orders of this Court compelling such compliance. E. The appointment of Doss Special Receiver LLC as special receiver will ensure the Defendant?s compliance with the law. DEP seeks to have Doss Special Receiver LLC, a newly formed West Virginia limited liability company appointed as the special receiver in this matter. DEP submits that Doss Special Receiver has the resources to perform all of its obligations as the court-appointed special receiver. First and foremost, Doss Special Receiver has the requisite skills to assess and manage the Defendant?s operations and assets to ensure its compliance with the law. Doss Engineering, Inc. formed Doss Special Receiver for the purpose of acting as the special receiver in this case. Doss Engineering is the sole member and manager of Doss Special Receiver, and it and, in particular, its principal, R.B. (Barry) Doss, will perform the functions of the special receiver on behalf of Doss Special Receiver. Both Mr. Doss and Doss Engineering, whose of?ce is located in Shrewsbury in Kanawha County, approximately thirty miles east of Charleston, are well known and well respected within the West Virginia mining industry. Mr. Doss is a professional engineer and surveyor, certi?ed surface and underground mine foreman, and holds a master?s degree in business administration. He has approximately forty years of experience in the coal mining industry, having held positions as diverse as equipment operator, permit engineer, 23 production engineer, engineering manager, mine manager, and engineering consultant. He formed Doss Engineering in 1999 to provide consulting, environmental, and engineering services to the mining, construction, and natural resource industries. In addition to Mr. Doss, Doss Engineering has a staff of seven full-time and one part-time employees with deep experience in all areas affecting the mining industry, including engineering, environmental and permitting technicians, watershed resource and environmental scientists, geologists, and environmental biologists. Doss Engineering has worked with coal companies, reclamation companies, mineral and landowners, law ?rms, and others with interests in coal in West Virginia and Central Appalachia. Both DEP and the Defendant?s surety bond issuer have had long experience in dealing with Doss Engineering and Mr. Doss and have con?dence in their ability to perform the functions of the special receiver. The Plaintiff also requests that the Court approve the compensation of the special receiver on the terms set forth in the proposed orders attached hereto as Exhibits A and B, which compensation the Plaintiff submits is appropriate and reasonable under the circumstances of this case. Second, Doss Special Receiver has a commitment of funding from the Defendant?s surety. The funding commitment assures that the special receiver will have funding for an initial 90-day period to allow the special receiver to assess the Defendant?s assets, liabilities, operations, and affairs to develop, if possible, a longer-term plan for ensuring the Defendant?s compliance with the law. The funding is designed to allow the special receiver to address certain imminent issues relating to the Defendant?s permitted sites, including Martinka. The Plaintiff also requests that the Court approve the funding facility on the terms set forth in the proposed orders attached hereto as Exhibits A and B, which funding the Plaintiff submits is appropriate and reasonable under the circumstances of this case. 24 In connection with the special receiver?s appointment, DEP also seeks an order setting the receivership surety bond required under Section 53-6?1 at $250,000. DEP submits that such a bond adequately secures the special receiver?s faithful performance of his obligations under the terms of the receivership order. V. The Court has the power in connection with the appointment of a special receiver to enjoin creditors and other parties from interfering with the special receiver?s administration and activities. As set forth in more detail the proposed forms of order attached hereto, DEP seeks to enjoin all persons from interfering with the operation of the receivership or disturbing the assets, liabilities, and operations of the receivership. The notion that a court may enjoin such actions has been settled for years. See, Zacartas v. Stanford Int?l Bank, Ltd., 945 F.3d 883 (5th Cir. 2019) (?It is axiomatic that a district court has broad authority to issue blanket stays of litigation to preserve the property placed in receivership pursuant to SEC action?) (quoting S.E. C. v. Stanford 1721?] Bank, Ltd, 424 F.App?x 338, 340 (5th Cir. 201 Davis v. Butters Lumber Co, 132 NC. 233, 43 SE. 650, 652 (1903) (noting, in 1903, that a receiver?s right to enjoin a creditor from taking actions that ?prevented or interfered with the collection of the assets of the bank which passed to him as receiver[] is well settled?). As the North Carolina Supreme Court noted in Davis: It is the policy, and usually the rule, of the court to compel all claims to assets in the hands of the receiver to be litigated in the [receivership action]. This course prevents confusion and con?icts, and saves costs and expenses. Id. at 653. As the Fifth Circuit noted: Courts of Appeals have upheld orders enjoining broad classes of individuals from taking any action regarding receivership property. Such orders can serve as an important tool permitting a district court to prevent dissipation of property or assets subject to multiple claims in various locales, as well as preventing piecemeal resolution of issues that call for a uniform resolt. Zacarias, 945 F.3d at 897, quoting Schauss v. Metals Depository Corp, 757 F.2d 649, 653 (5th 25 Cir. 1985); see also Liberte Capital Group, LLC v. Capwill, 462 .3d 543 (6th Cir. 2006) (?Once assets are placed in receivership, a district court?s equitable purpose demands that the court be able to exercise control over claims brought against those assets. The receivership court has a valid interest in both the value of the claims themselves and the costs of defending any suit as a drain on receivership assets?); United States v. Acorn Tech. Fund, LP, 429 F.3d 438, 443 (3d Cir. 2005) (?The purposes of a receivership are varied, but the purpose of imposing a stay of litigation is clear. A receiver must be given a chance to do the important job of marshaling and untangling a company?s assets without being forced into court by every investor or claimant?). As one court put it, such a bar works to prevent the proverbial ?race for receivership assets.? Rupert v. Winter, 2012 WL 13102348, at *9 (N .D. Tex. Jan. 24, 2012). In that regard, this type of injunction is, as the Second Circuit Court of Appeals noted, similar to the automatic stay of litigation issued in bankruptcy cases: he receivership accomplishes what a bankruptcy would. The receivership protects the assets of the estate, just as a stay would in bankruptcy. An anti- litigation injunction is simply one of the tools available to courts to help further the goals of the receivership. While such injunctions are to be used sparingly, there are situations in which they are entirely appropriate. S.E. C. v. Byers, 609 F.3d 87, 92 (2d Cir. 2010). To that end, courts that have appointed receivers to assume control over a defendant?s assets and operations have issued orders enjoining a wide array of parties from interfering in a wide array of ways with the receiver?s administration and activities. In Davis, for example, the court enjoined a creditor from suing to collect, attach, and garnish a debt owed by a bank in receivership. Similarly, a New York appeals court af?rmed the entry of an injunction barring a mortgage creditor from proceeding with a foreclosure action to allow the receiver to sell a dissolving corporation?s assets, describing the court?s power to protect a receiver against actions brought without its consent as an ?inherent power of the court.? In re French, 181 AD. 719, 26 732, 168 N.Y.S. 988, 998 (App. Div. 1918); see also SEC v. Wencke, 622 F.2d 1363, 1369 (9th Cir. 1980) (?The power of a district court to impose a receivership or grant other forms of ancillary relief does not in the ?rst instance depend on a statutory grant of power from the securities laws. Rather, the authority derives from the inherent power of a court of equity to fashion effective relief?). In SEC v. Byers, 609 F.3d 87, 89 (2d Cir. 2010), the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit af?rrned a District Court order barring creditors and others from ?ling involuntary bankruptcy petitions with respect to property in a receivership, as part of the court?s ?authority and discretion to enter anti-litigation orders.? Notably, where a state court assumes in rem or quasi in rem jurisdiction over property, its bar against suits applies with equal force whether the barer suit is brought in state or federal court. See Princess Lida of hum Taxis v. Thompson, 305 U.S. 456, 466 (1939) (?We have said that the principle applicable to both federal and state courts that the court ?rst assuming jurisdiction over property may maintain and exercise that jurisdiction to the exclusion of the other, is not restricted to cases where property has been actually seized under judicial process before a second suit is instituted, but applies as well where suits are brought to marshal assets, administer trusts, or liquidate estates, and in suits of a similar nature where, to give effect to its jurisdiction, the court must control the property?). ?In such cases, [the Supreme Court] has said that the state or federal court having custody of such property has exclusive jurisdiction to proceed.? Donovan v. City of Dallas, 377 U.S. 408, 468 (1964), citing Princess Lida, 305 U.S. at 465-68; see also SEC v. Wencke, 622 .2d at 1369 (?The power of the district court to issue a stay, effective against all persons, of all proceedings against the receivership entities rests as much on its control over the property placed in receivership as on its jurisdiction over the parties to the securities fraud action?). 27 Thus, this Court, having taken control of the Defendant?s property pursuant to the receivership order, may broadly enjoin the Defendant, those individuals and entities associated with the Defendant, as well as the Defendant?s creditors and other parties in interest, from taking any action that interferes with the special receiver?s control over the Defendant?s property, business, and affairs. WHEREFORE, DEP respectfully requests that this Court grant Emergency Motion and: (1) enter an order substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A requiring the Defendant on a temporary basis to take all necessary and appropriate actions to abate existing violations of its mining and water pollution control permits and bring its operations into immediate compliance with the permits and the federal Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act and Clean Water Act and the state counterparts thereto and the rules promulgated thereunder and appointing Doss Special Receiver LLC as special receiver on a temporary basis on the terms set forth therein, in each case pending the conduct of a hearing to consider the Plaintiff? motion for entry of a preliminary injunction; (2) after a hearing to consider the Plaintiff?s motion for entry of a preliminary injunction, enter an order substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit requiring the Defendant on a preliminary basis to take all necessary and appropriate action abate existing violations of its mining and water pollution control permits and bring its operations into immediate compliance with the permits and the federal Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act and Clean Water Act and the state counterparts thereto and the rules promulgated thereunder and appointing Doss 28 -- - . v. . - I .. ['In ?1 2r WW an itlwt?. \?tL {'gniuilql, I?m. Ill? All? - Ed -. . 'i [chm ilml link ?fl :u ELM INCH I). ARI). Diru'tnr. Di?iwiun ul' Mining and Ruclunmlinn. Virginia of km irunnu-nml ('nunwl i-J _r . . .. ?u lil'ux [25:1 I'd. I I \th. ".ka Mum-r. l' Wu-? Virginia 353 1 l?hwkc EXHIBIT A Exhibit A IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF KANAWHA COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA HAROLD D. WARD, Director, Division of Mining and Reclamation, West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, Plaintiff, v. CIVIL ACTION NO. ERP ENVIRONMENTAL FUND, INC., Defendant. TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER AND ORDER TEMPORARILY APPOINTING A SPECIAL RECEIVER FOR PROPERTY, ASSETS, AND OPERATIONS Upon consideration of the emergency motion of the Plaintiff for entry of a preliminary injunction and order appointing a special receiver of the Defendant?s property, assets, and operations and the declaration of the Plaintiff in support thereof; and it appearing that there exist imminent and identi?able threats to the public health and safety that require immediate and ongoing action to prevent such threats and an exigent need for immediate and ongoing funding and competent management to ensure the Defendant?s compliance with laws designed to prevent such threats that warrant and require immediate, preliminary relief; and it appearing that the Plaintiff has given the Defendant notice of its motion and the relief requested herein and that the Defendant has consented to or acquiesced in the relief requested, it is hereby ORDERED that: 1. This Court has personal jurisdiction over the Defendant, which holds mining and water pollution control permits issued by the Plaintiff and operates active coal mining sites within the State of West Virginia. Exhibit A 2. This Court has subject matter jurisdiction and venue over this action pursuant to and in accordance with W. Va. Code 22-3-170). 3. This Court has the power to issue the temporary relief granted hereby pursuant to W. Va. Code 22-3-170) and West Virginia Rule of Civil Procedure 65(3). 4. The Plaintiff?s emergency motion, to the extent that it seeks entry of a temporary restraining order and the appointment of a special receiver on a temporary basis, is hereby granted. Iniunetive Relief 5. The Defendant shall be and hereby is enjoined from violating the terms and conditions of its mining and water pollution control permits and the West Virginia Surface Coal Mining and Reclamation Act and the West Virginia Water Pollution Control Act and the rules promulgated thereunder, pending the hearing to consider entry of a preliminary injunction and the preliminary appointment of a special receiver. Appointment of a Receiver 6. Pending the hearing to consider entry of a preliminary injunction and the preliminary appointment of a special receiver, a Special Receiver is hereby appointed pursuant to W. Va. Code 53-6-1 on a temporary basis, subject to the Court?s oversight, supervision, and further approval, as needed, to assume full operation, management, and control of the Defendant?s assets and operations, oversee, manage, and direct the acts, conduct, operations, assets, liabilities, and ?nancial conditions of the Defendant, and in consultation with the applicable environmental regulatory agencies, develop a plan and schedule for compliance with the Defendant?s permits and take all necessary and appropriate action to bring the Defendant?s operations into compliance with the Defendant?s permits, the federal Surface Mining Control and Exhibit A Reclamation Act and the federal Clean Water Act and the state counterparts thereto and the rules promulgated thereunder, and the orders of the applicable environmental regulatory agencies, all for the protection of the public and the environment and the preservation of the Defendant?s business and assets for the bene?t of all parties having an interest in the Defendant and its business, assets, and affairs. 7. The Plaintiff and the Special Receiver have advised the Court that due to the number and current status of the permits the Defendant holds, it is impractical to abate all existing violations and commence or maintain reclamation work simultaneously on all of the Defendant?s permitted sites and outfalls and the Defendant holds several permits and property interests outside the State of West Virginia. The Special Receiver shall prioritize abatement and reclamation based upon criteria and input of the applicable regulatory authorities and Defendant?s reclamation bond sureties taking into consideration such factors as site conditions, the need for public safety, environmental protection, ef?cient scheduling, cash ?ow and operational concerns. The Plaintiff and the Special Receiver shall take all reasonable steps necessary or appropriate to secure in states outside the State of West Virginia the same authorities and protections for the Special Receiver as are set forth in this Order. 8. Doss Special Receiver, LLC, a West Virginia limited liability company, is hereby appointed as the Special Receiver for the purposes set forth in the immediately preceding decretal paragraph. Doss Special Receiver, LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Doss Engineering, Inc., a West Virginia corporation, and Barry Doss is the sole manager of Doss Special Receiver, LLC. No individual or entity may succeed or replace Doss Special Receiver, LLC, Doss Engineering, Inc., or Barry Doss and no change in control of Doss Special Receiver, LLC may occur, in each case without the express written consent of the Plaintiff and a further Exhibit A order of this Court. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Doss Special Receiver, LLC may retain and compensate Doss Engineering, Inc., either directly or on behalf of the receivership estate, to provide consulting and other services to the receivership estate. 9. The Special Receiver and its owner, manager, employees, agents, attorneys and other professionals hired by it with respect to performing its duties hereunder shall have no personal liability and shall have no claim asserted against them relating to the performance of the Special Receiver?s duties under this Order, except for claims for actual damages (and not consequential damages) due to their gross negligence, gross or willful misconduct, malicious acts or the failure to comply with Orders of this Court. In any event, the liability of the Special Receiver or persons acting on its behalf shall be limited to the assets of Defendant?s estate. 10. Without limiting the generality of the immediately preceding decretal paragraph, the Special Receiver and its owner, manager, employees, agents, attorneys and other professionals hired by it are not, and shall not be construed as or deemed to be, an agent, owner, operator, or controller of the Defendant or its operations for the purposes of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act and the Clean Water Act and the state counterparts thereto and the rules and regulations thereunder, the applicant violator system, or any other applicable environmental law, solely on account of the performance of the Special Receiver?s duties under this Order, and the Plaintiff shall work with federal and other state regulatory authorities as necessary to ensure that the Special Receiver and its owner, manager, employees, agents, attorneys and other professionals hired by it are not either held liable under such laws or rendered ineligible for permits in West Virginia or elsewhere as a result of their actions pursuant to this Order. Exhibit A 11. The Special Receiver shall be compensated on an hourly basis at the hourly rates set forth in Exhibit A hereto, which terms and conditions are hereby approved, and no additional orders or approvals by the Court or any other party shall be necessary with respect to such compensation or the payment thereof to the Special Receiver. 12. Within thirty days of the date hereof, the Special Receiver shall obtain a surety bond in the amount of $250,000 pursuant to and in accordance with W. Va. Code 53?6-1, a copy of which bond shall be ?led with the Court. 13. The Special Receiver is hereby authorized to borrow money on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in Exhibit hereto, which terms and conditions are hereby approved (as so approved, the ?Funding Facility?). Creation of Receivershin Estate 14. Immediately upon entry of this Order, a receivership estate shall be deemed created for the Defendant, which estate shall be under the sole and exclusive control, supervision, and management of the Special Receiver. 15. All of the Defendant?s real property, personal property, both tangible and intangible and including intellectual property, leases (whether as lessor or lessee) of real or personal property, permits, assets, books, records, ?xtures, equipment, inventory, as-extracted assets, reserves, and any other real, personal, tangible, or intangible property of the Defendant of any kind or nature whatsoever, wherever located, shall be deemed immediately transferred to the Defendant?s receivership estate under the management, operation, and control of the Special Receiver without any further action on the part of the Defendant or the Special Receiver. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the assets transferred shall include all rights of Exhibit A the Defendant in, to, or under any insurance policy and insurance proceeds, including any policy or proceeds applicable to any of the liabilities transferred to the receivership. 16. All persons, including the Defendant, all of its officers, directors, employees, stock or equity holders, any secured or unsecured creditors of the Defendant, and any other persons, are ordered to turn over to the Special Receiver all cash, keys, documents, deposits, payments received, books and records, equipment, software, and any other property of the Defendant, including water samples and the results of the testing thereof, in their possession, custody, or control or that come into their possession, custody, or control after the entry of this Order. 17. The banks and other ?nancial institutions where the Defendant has account relationships are authorized and directed to comply with all instructions given by the Special Receiver in furtherance of the authority vested in him in this Order and any other Order entered in connection with this action. 18. Any person claiming to own property situated on the Defendant?s property or used by the Defendant in connection with the operation of its business or property is enjoined from removing said property absent the actual written consent of the Special Receiver or upon further Order of the Court. 19. All existing claims, liens, and encumbrances against the Defendant or its properties or assets shall be deemed to constitute claims, liens, or encumbrances against the Defendant?s receivership estate. 20. The Special Receiver shall have no liability or responsibility for the payment or discharge of any claims, liens, or encumbrances against the Defendant?s receivership estate. The Special Receiver shall not be liable for any employee-related liabilities of the Defendant, other Exhibit A than the amounts the Special Receiver may speci?cally agree in writing to pay. The Special Receiver, subject to the terms and conditions of this Order, shall be liable for any employee- related liabilities relating to any employees that the Special Receiver may hire. 21. No person shall ?le suit or take other legal or enforcement action against the Special Receiver without an Order of this Court permitting the suit or action. 22. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, nothing shall empower the Special Receiver or the Defendant to carry on any business or activity which the Defendant is not lawfully entitled to carry on or exempt the Special Receiver or the Defendant from complying with statutory or regulatory provisions relating to the public health and safety or the environment. 23. Any and all costs, expenses, and liabilities of the receivership and the receivership estate created hereby, including, without limitation, the debts and liabilities incurred by the Special Receiver under the Funding Facility, the costs and expenses of the Special Receiver, the fees and expenses of any professionals retained by the Special Receiver, and the costs and expenses of the operation of the Defendant?s business, shall constitute claims against the Defendant?s receivership estate, shall be paid as a ?rst-priority expense from the net proceeds of the operations or income of the Defendant and the sale of the Defendant?s properties and assets, and shall be senior to any valid, enforceable, and unavoidable liens and security interests in any collateral that were properly perfected by the date hereof, it being understood that the debts and liabilities under the Funding Facility shall be subordinate to any such valid, enforceable, unavoidable, and properly perfected liens and security interests, nothing in this action or Order shall make the Plaintiff responsible for the payment of the costs, expenses, and liabilities of the receivership and the receivership estate created hereby, and (0) nothing in this (or any Exhibit A other) paragraph shall affect the Special Receiver?s right to payment of his compensation and expenses from the Funding Facility. 24. All persons having oral or written agreements with the Defendant for the supply of goods or services are hereby restrained pending the hearing to consider entry of a preliminary injunction and the preliminary appointment of a special receiver from discontinuing, altering, interfering with or terminating the supply of such goods or services as may be required by the Special Receiver. 25. The Special Receiver shall be entitled to the continued use of the Defendant?s current telephone numbers, facsimile numbers, internet addresses and domain names, provided in each case that the normal prices or charges for all such goods or services received after the date of this Order shall be paid by the Special Receiver in accordance with the normal payment practices of the Defendant or such other practices as may be agreed upon by the supplier or service provider and the Special Receiver or as may be ordered by this Court. Powers of 26. The Special Receiver is hereby empowered and authorized, but not obligated, to act at once in respect of the Defendant?s assets, property, business, and affairs and, without in any way limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Special Receiver is hereby expressly empowered and authorized to do any of the following where the Special Receiver considers it necessary, appropriate, or desirable: a. To take possession of and exercise control over the Defendant?s property and any and all proceeds, receipts and disbursements arising out of or from the Defendant?s property; b. To receive, preserve and protect the Defendant?s property, or any part or parts thereof, including, but not limited to, the changing of locks and security codes, the relocating of property to safeguard it, the engaging of independent security personnel, the taking of physical inventories and the placement of such insurance coverage as may be necessary or desirable; Exhibit A To manage, operate and carry on the business of the Defendant, including the powers to enter into any agreements, incur any obligations in the ordinary course of business, cease to carry on all or any part of the Defendant?s business, or cease to perform any contracts of the Defendant; To negotiate and enter into ?nancings, incur debt, or grant liens as necessary, desirable, or appropriate in the management of the Defendant?s business, assets, or affairs, subject to Court approval; To retain, hire, or discharge employees on behalf of the receivership estate (none of whom are, or shall be deemed to be, employees of the Court or the Special Receiver) and to establish their wages, salaries, and bene?ts; To engage consultants, appraisers, agents, experts, auditors, accountants, managers, counsel and such other persons from time to time and on whatever basis, including on a temporary basis, to assist with the Special Receiver?s powers and duties, including without limitation those conferred by this Order, in each case subject to Court approval; provided, that, no such Court approval shall be required with respect to the Special Receiver?s engagement of Doss Engineering, Inc.; (2) accountants, legal counsel or such other persons in the normal and ordinary course of the receivership estate?s business or operations, or (3) such other third-party contractors as may be deemed necessary by the Special Receiver to conduct the receivership estate?s operations, including but not limited to, with respect to any and all reclamation activities; To purchase, lease, repair or replace machinery, equipment, inventories, supplies, premises or other assets to continue the business of the Defendant or any part or parts thereof; To receive and collect all monies and accounts now owed or hereafter owing to the Defendant and to exercise all remedies of the Defendant in collecting such monies, including, without limitation, to enforce any security held by the Defendant; To settle, extend or compromise any indebtedness owing to or by the Defendant, subject to Court approval; To execute, assign, issue and endorse documents of whatever nature in respect of any of the Defendant?s property, whether in the Special Receiver?s name or in the name and on behalf of the Defendant, for any purpose pursuant to this Order; To undertake environmental or workers? health and safety assessments of the defendant?s property and operations; To enter into consent orders, consent decrees, or other agreements with applicable environmental regulatory agencies with respect to the Defendant?s environmental obligations, including the Defendant?s environmental obligations under this Order; Exhibit A To cause the Defendant to perform any bonding and reclamation obligations so as to comply with applicable state and federal laws and regulations and effect the release of bonds for the bene?t of the Defendant; To investigate, pursue, make, file, represent, defend against, and enter an appearance in any demand, lawsuit, action, claim, petition, filing, litigation, and proceeding, whetherjudicial or administrative, against any person for and on behalf of the Defendant, its interests, and its property; To initiate, prosecute and continue the prosecution of any and all proceedings and to defend all proceedings now pending or hereafter instituted with respect to the Defendant, the Defendant?s property or the Special Receiver, and to settle or compromise any such proceedings subject to Court approval; To direct the litigation strategy of the Defendant in any lawsuit, proceeding, action, administrative proceeding, or similar proceeding, including, without limitation, acting on behalf of and representing the Defendant?s and its interests in any bankruptcy proceeding involving the Defendant; To market any or all of the Defendant?s property, including advertising and soliciting offers in respect of the Defendant?s property or any part or parts thereof and negotiating such terms and conditions of sale as the Special Receiver in its discretion may deem appropriate; To sell, convey, transfer, lease or assign the Defendant?s property or any part or parts thereof outside the ordinary course of business, i. Without the approval of this Court in respect of any transaction not exceeding $50,000 up to an aggregate consideration for all such transactions does not exceed $500,000; and ii. With the approval of this Court; To apply for any order or orders necessary to convey the Defendant?s property or any part or parts thereof to a purchaser or purchasers thereof free and clear of any liens or encumbrances affecting such property; To report to, meet with, and discuss with such affected persons as the Special Receiver deems appropriate all matters relating to the Defendant?s property, assets, operations, and affairs and the receivership, and to share information, subject to such terms as to confidentiality as the Special Receiver deems advisable; To register a copy of this Order and any other Orders in respect of the Defendant?s property against title to any of the Defendant?s property; To apply for any permits, licenses, approvals, or permissions as may be required by any governmental authority and any renewals, modifications, extensions, or releases thereof for and on behalf of and in the name of the Defendant; 10 Exhibit A v. To review all the Defendant?s insurance policies, including workers? compensation, disability, general liability, and hazard insurance, and to cancel, renew, extend, retain, modify, purchase, or otherwise deal with such insurance, engage the agent of record therefor, and name the receivership estate as an additional insured or loss payee, as the Special Receiver deems appropriate for the Defendant and its properties? preservation and protection; w. To exercise any shareholder, partnership, joint venture or other rights which the Defendant may have; x. To exercise any and all rights, powers, duties, and privileges of the Defendant, including, without limitation, any attorney-client or other similar privilege; y. To ?le a petition in bankruptcy and prosecute a bankruptcy case and any related proceedings for the Defendant; 2. To make any and all other signi?cant decisions affecting the Defendant or its business, affairs, or properties in the exercise of its reasonable business judgment; and aa. To take any steps reasonably incidental to the exercise of these powers or the performance of its duties; And in each case where the Special Receiver takes any such actions or steps, it shall be exclusively authorized and empowered to do so to the exclusion of all other persons, including the Defendant and its of?cers, directors, agents, representatives, and employees, and without interference from any other person. 27. With respect to the exercise of the powers speci?ed in the preceding decretal paragraph, the Special Receiver shall be vested, exclusively, with the standing and all authority of the board of directors, shareholders, members, managers and of?cers of the Defendant and shall exclusively have all the duties, powers, and authority thereof under its certi?cates or articles of incorporation, operating agreements, bylaws, and any other organizational documents with respect thereto. 28. The Special Receiver may defend against any lawsuit, action, claim, petition, ?ling, litigation, or proceeding brought against him in its capacity as a Special Receiver or 11 Exhibit A against or pertaining to the Defendant. Any and all costs and expenses, including attorneys? fees, arising from or incurred in connection with such legal actions or suits shall be paid as operating expenses of the receivership estate(s). 29. The Special Receiver shall not be responsible for the preparation and ?ling of any tax returns for the Defendant or its subsidiaries or af?liates (including any income, personal property, commercial activity, gross receipts, sales and use, or other tax returns) for any tax period ending prior to the date of the Special Receiver?s appointment, it being understood that the Special Receiver shall be responsible for the preparation and ?ling of any tax returns for the Defendant for tax periods ending during the tenure of the Special Receiver. 30. The Special Receiver may recommend to the Court that it be authorized to perform any other duties and responsibilities it reasonably believes may be necessary or appropriate to further the objectives of the receivership, including but not limited to leasing, selling, assigning, transferring or conveying the Defendant?s property or any interest therein or performing any capital improvements thereto, or such other or further relief as it may deem necessary or appropriate to further the objectives of the receivership. 31. The Special Receiver shall prepare and ?le with the Court on a basis a report of the Special Receiver?s actions taken pursuant to this Order and an accurate accounting of all monies collected, disbursements made, and expenses incurred. Copies of such reports and accountings shall be served on all counsel of record and unrepresented parties herein simultaneously with their ?ling. 32. All actions taken by the Special Receiver pursuant to the authorizations contained in this Order shall be valid, binding, and enforceable acts of the Defendant. 12 Exhibit A Injunctions Against Interference with 33. All persons, including but not limited to the Defendant and its officers, agents, servants, employees, attorneys, and all persons in active concert or participation with them, are enjoined from in any way interfering with the operation of the receivership or in any way disturbing the assets, liabilities, and operations of the receivership, pending the hearing to consider entry of a preliminary injunction and the preliminary appointment of a special receiver. 34. The Defendant is hereby enjoined from taking any action with respect to the operation or management of its properties, assets, business, and affairs, except as requested by the Special Receiver, pending the hearing to consider entry of a preliminary injunction and the preliminary appointment of a special receiver. 35. All of?cers, directors, employees, attorneys, accountants, and equity interest holders of the Defendant are directed to use their best efforts to ensure a smooth transition of the operation of the Defendant?s business and assets to the Special Receiver, are prohibited from interfering with the Special Receiver in the exercise of its rights, powers, duties, and privileges hereunder or taking any action inconsistent with the terms and provisions of this Order, (6) shall fully cooperate with the Special Receiver in carrying out its rights, privileges, and duties under this Order, including responding to all reasonable requests for information or documentation and execution of documents, and are barred from commencing a case under the Bankruptcy Code or other insolvency proceeding for or on behalf of the Defendant. 36. Any and all existing proceedings against or in respect of the Defendant or its property are hereby stayed and suspended pending the hearing to consider entry of a preliminary injunction and the preliminary appointment of a special receiver, provided. however, that nothing 13 Exhibit A in this Order shall prevent any person from commencing a proceeding regarding a claim that might otherwise become barred by statute or an existing agreement if such proceeding is not commenced before the expiration of the stay provided by this paragraph or affect any state or federal regulatory agency?s police and regulatory authority in respect of the Defendant and the Defendant?s assets and operations, including any action, suit or proceeding that is taken in respect of the Defendant by or before the regulatory agency, other than the enforcement of a payment order by the regulatory agency. 37. No person shall ?le suit or take other legal or enforcement action against the Defendant or the Defendant?s property, including the commencement of an involuntary case under the Bankruptcy Code or other insolvency proceeding against the Defendant or the Defendant?s property, except any action taken by a state or federal regulatory agency pursuant to its police and regulatory authority in respect of the Defendant and the Defendant?s assets and operations, including any action, suit or proceeding that is taken in respect of the Defendant by or before the regulatory agency, other than the enforcement of a payment order by the regulatory agency with respect to payment obligations incurred prior to the Special Receiver?s appointment, with the written consent of the Special Receiver, or in accordance with an Order of this Court permitting the suit or action. 38. The exercise of all rights and remedies against the Defendant, the Special Receiver, or the Defendant?s property, including, without limitation, the exercise of setoff rights and the creation, perfection or enforcement of a lien, are hereby stayed and suspended except with the written consent of the Special Receiver or an Order of this Court permitting the exercise of such rights and remedies. 14 Exhibit A 39. Nothing in this Order shall be interpreted to alter, diminish or enlarge the rights or obligations of any person who has issued surety bonds on behalf of the Defendant (a ?Surety?) or the rights of any bene?ciary of surety bonds issued on behalf of the Defendant as to any third party, including any Surety or governmental authority, nor shall anything in this Order be deemed to enjoin any Surety or governmental authority from asserting any rights, claims, or defenses against any third party, including any Surety or governmental authority. For the avoidance of doubt, any Surety and governmental authority shall retain any and all rights afforded to it under the Surface Mining Coal and Reclamation Act and the Water Pollution Control Act, the state counterparts thereto, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. Termination of Receivership Order 40. The Special Receiver may apply to the Court to terminate this Order in the event that a. All or substantially all of the Defendant?s mining permits shall have been revoked pursuant to ?nal orders of the regulatory agencies that issued those permits; or b. The Special Receiver determines that it lacks the ability to comply with its obligations under this Order, including for a lack of suf?cient funding; or c. The Special Receiver is unable to reach agreements with appropriate regulatory authorities or any Surety as to the prioritization of reclamation and compliance efforts; or d. Is unable to ensure it has the necessary authority and protections to manage or dispose of liabilities, obligations or properties arising from operations or properties outside of West Virginia; or 15 Exhibit A e. A case under the Bankruptcy Code or other insolvency proceeding is commenced and has not been dismissed or suspended within sixty days thereafter. In any of these events, the Special Receiver shall be entitled to an order terminating this Order upon at least ten (10) days? notice to all parties in interest in the receivership. If the Court terminates this Order then the Special Receiver shall cooperate with the Defendant or any successor receiver in an orderly transfer of estate property. Scope of this Order 41. To the fullest extent permissible by law given this Court?s in rem jurisdiction over the Defendant?s property, assets, operations, and affairs, this Order is intended to and shall apply to all persons without regard to their residence or domicile or contacts within the State of West Virginia and to all federal, state, and local governmental authorities having jurisdiction and power over the Defendant?s property, assets, operations, and affairs and be given Full Faith and Credit in accordance with the Constitution of the United States. Retention of Jurisdiction 42. This Court shall retain jurisdiction with respect to all matters arising from or related to the receivership estate, the Special Receiver, the management and operation of the Defendant?s business, properties, and affairs, and the implementation of this Order. Expiration of Order; Further Proceedings on Plaintiff?s Motion for Preliminary Relief 43. This Order, including the injunctions and the appointment of the Special Receiver provided herein, shall continue in full force and effect pending the closing of the hearing to consider the Plaintiff?s motion for entry of a preliminary injunction and the preliminary appointment of a special receiver. 16 Exhibit A 44. The Court shall conduct a video or telephonic hearing to consider the Plaintiff? motion for entry of a preliminary injunction and the preliminary appointment of a special receiver on 2020, at 45. Counsel for the Plaintiff is directed to serve a copy of this Order and its motion upon the Defendant and all known creditors, employees, equity interest holders, regulatory agencies, owners and controllers, and other parties interest of the Defendant within three business days from the entry of this Order. Service thereof shall constitute adequate notice of the hearing and the relief requested in the Plaintiff?s motion. The costs and expenses associated with such service shall constitute an expense of the receivership estate and be reimbursed, upon the submission of an appropriate invoice therefor, by the Special Receiver. 46. Responses, if any, to the relief requested in the Plaintiff?s motion shall be ?led with the Court and served upon the Plaintiff, c/o Bailey Glasser, LLP, 209 Capitol Street, Charleston, West Virginia 25301, Attn: Kevin W. Barrett, kbarrett@baileyglasser.com the Special Receiver, c/o Jackson Kelly PLLC, 500 Lee Street East, Suite 1600, Charleston, WV 25301, Attn: Robert G. McLusky, and Indemnity National Insurance Company, c/o Barth Thompson, 202 Berkeley Street, Charleston, WV 25302, Attn: Stephen L. Thompson, in each case so that it is received by 2020. 47. Parties who wish to appear at the video or telephonic hearing are directed to contact Mr. Barrett at (304) 345-6555 or by email at kbarrett@baileyglasser.com. Dated: March 2020 Circuit Court Judge 17 Exhibit A EXHIBIT A COMPENSATION OF SPECIAL RECEIVER For the work contemplated by the Order, Doss Special Receiver, LLC will bill and be paid on an hourly basis at Mr. Doss? customary rate (less a 15% discount) as shown on the attached rate sheet for Doss Engineering, Inc.: 0 Provided that the Special Receiver shall be paid for a minimum of 60 hours work per month regardless how many hours are expended, but not more than 120 hours per month. The Special Receiver shall be entitled to use the services of Doss Engineering, Inc. at the rates in the attached term sheet (less a 10% discount). Upon entry of the Order, the Special Receiver shall be entitled to a lump sum payment of $18,500 to cover the initial costs of professional services (including Mr. Doss?) and of procuring additional insurance. In the event that the Order is terminated, the Special Receiver withdraws as Receiver or the Surety elects to stop funding the Special Receiver then upon the presentation of a ?nal bill the Surety shall pay the Special Receiver within 10 days. 18 0m 5W pm SW SW Exhibit A RATE FEE SCHEDULE Con?dential As of January 1, 2020 Principal I Professional Engineer $150.00 hour Litigation Due Diligence Support Quoted on Request Senior Mining Engineer Project Manager $90.00 hour Senior Geologist $85.00 hour Staff Engineer $75.00 hour Senior Aquatic Biologist! Taxonomist $75.00 hour Staff Geologist $65.00 hour Staff Biologist $65.00 hour Engineering/ Environmental Technician Auto-Cad $60.00 hour Permitting Of?ce $50.00 hour Field $40.00 hour Laboratory $30.00 hour Clerical/ Administrative $37.50 hour 2-man Survey Crew $85.00 I hour 2?man GPS Survey Crew $120.00 hour UAV Drone Pilot $75.00 hour Mileage $0.75 mile Misc. Materials, Other Direct Expenses Cost 10% Travel At Cost Payment Terms: Net 30 days from receipt of invoice Rates are effective January 1, 2020, but are subject to change without notice. 19 Exhibit A EXHIBIT FUNDING FACILITY TERM SHEET ERP ENVIRONMENTAL FUND, INC. 1,000,000 Senior Secured Receivership Delayed Draw Term Loan Facility Summary of Terms and Conditions THIS SUMMARY OF TERMS AND CONDITIONS (THE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A LEGALLY BINDING OBLIGATION OR COMMITMENT, UNLESS AND UNTIL IT IS FULLY EXECUTED AND DELIVERED BY ALL PARTIES HERETO AND ALL CONDITIONS PRECEDENT SET FORTH BELOW HAVE BEEN SATISFIED OR WAIVED. The terms outlined below in this Term Sheet are the terms and conditions for a senior secured receivership delayed draw term loan credit facility to be made available to ERP Environmental Group, Inc. This Term Sheet; a credit agreement containing substantially the terms and subject the conditions setforth in the Term Sheet. if any; the Temporary Order, the Preliminary Order, and any other order entered by the Court in connection with this Term Sheet (cottectiveiy, the "Orders shall constitute the exclusive and definitive documentation and agreement among the parties (the ?Receivership acilitjy Documents Borrower: ERP Environmental Fund, Inc., (?Borrower?), by and through Doss Special Receiver, LLC, as its proposed Special Receiver (the ?Receiver?) in a proceeding (the ?Receivership?) to be ?led in the Circuit Court of Kanawha County, West Virginia (the ?Court?). The date of the commencement of the Receivership will be referred to as the ?Receivership Date.? Lender: Indemnity National Insurance Company, a Mississippi corporation (?Lender?). Funding A maximum amount of 1,000,000 in the aggregate, as follows: Facility: A senior secured US. dollar denominated delayed draw term loan facility in an aggregate principal amount of up to $1,000,000 (the ?Receivership Facility? and the loans made thereunder, the ?Receivership Loans?). The Receivership Loans may be drawn in multiple installments, with up to $325,000 of Receivership Loans available upon entry of the Temporary Order. Security and Priority: The obligations of the Borrower under the Receivership Facility shall have the priority afforded to them pursuant to the Orders and shall be secured by a perfected security interest and lien on all real and personal property of the Borrower, whether now owned or hereafter acquired (the ?Collateral?), without any requirement for the execution, delivery, recording or ?ling of any security agreement, mortgage, deed of trust, ?nancing statement or similar document, instrument or agreement covering such Collateral. 20 Exhibit A Upon entry of the Preliminary Order (as de?ned below), the Lender?s lien on the Collateral shall be superior to and shall prime any and all pre-existing liens and security interests in the Collateral. The Lender shall be deemed to have consented to the release of its liens such that the Receiver can effectuate the sale of the property of the Borrower, subject to the terms of Orders, provided, that the proceeds of such sale(s) shall only be used for those purposes identi?ed in the Orders, subject to a budget to be negotiated by the Lender and the Receiver. The Receiver, on behalf of the Borrower, shall execute and deliver to Lender all such mortgages, security agreements, deeds of trust or other documents and instruments as may be reasonably required by the Lender to evidence and secure the Receivership Facility. The Lender shall be solely responsible for all costs associated with the preparation and ?ling of any requested ?nancing documents. Purpose: Amounts that may be made available under the Receivership Facility shall be used by the Receiver to fund the costs of administering the Receivership and for the general operating expenses of the Borrower in complying with the speci?c tasks identi?ed in the applicable Orders. All expenditures from the Receivership Loans, other than the initial Receivership Loan of $325,000, shall be subject to a budget to be prepared by the Receiver and approved by the Lender (the ?Budget?) subject to permitted variances to be agreed upon by the Receiver and the Lender. Interest: The Receivership Loans shall bear interest at the rate of two percent per annum. All interest shall be computed on the basis of a year consisting of 360 days and shall be calculated based on the daily principal amount outstanding for such period. All interest shall be payable in kind and shall be paid in full on the Termination Date (as de?ned below). Maturity: The Receivership Facility shall mature upon the ?Termination Date,? which, with respect to the Receivership Facility. shall be the earliest of the date that is twenty-four (24) months after the Receivership Date and the acceleration of the Receivership Loans and the termination of the Receivership Facility in accordance with the Receivership Facility Documents. Conditions Precedent to Initial Credit Extension: The obligation of the Lender to make the initial Receivership Loan is subject to the satisfaction (or waiver by the Lender) of the following conditions: The Receivership Date shall have occurred on or before March 27, 2020; and A temporary order creating the Receivership estate, appointing Doss Special Receiver, LLC as Receiver. and approving the Receivership Facility and this Term Sheet (the ?Temporary Order"), shall have been entered by the Court, in form and substance acceptable to Lender, within seven (7) days of the Receivership Date. 21 Exhibit A Conditions Precedent to Subsequent Credit Extensions: The obligation of the Lender to make any Receivership Loans after the initial Receivership Loan is subject to the satisfaction (or waiver by the Lender) of the following conditions: Each of the Receivership Facility Documents shall continue to be in full force and effect and no Event of Default (as de?ned below) shall have occurred and be continuing; A preliminary order reaf?rming the Temporary Order and granting certain other relief, including, but not limited to, the priming liens identi?ed herein (the ?Preliminary Order?), shall have been entered by the Court, in form and substance acceptable to Lender; The Borrowerf Receiver shall have complied in all material respects with all agreements and covenants required to be performed or complied with by it under the Receivership Facility Documents; The Receiver shall have provided the Lender with a Budget and, if applicable, the Borrower shall have been conducting its business in accordance with the Budget; A request for borrowing shall have been made by the Receiver; The Orders shall be in full force and effect and shall not have been vacated, revised, or modi?ed or stayed in any respect; and The making of such advance shall not violate any requirement of law and shall not be enjoined temporarily, preliminarily or permanently. Events Default: of The occurrence of any of the following events, unless waived by the Lender in writing, shall constitute an ?Event of Default? and collectively ?Events of Default?: The failure of Borrower to pay principal or interest at the Termination Date or as otherwise set forth in the Receivership Facility Documents; The Receiver shall fail to observe or to perform any other covenant. obligation, condition or agreement contained in the Receivership Facility Documents; The Receiver shall make any expenditure of the proceeds of the Receivership Loans or the Collateral that is in excess, subject to any permitted variances, of the amounts permitted by the Budget; The Receivership is dismissed or terminated; A voluntary or involuntary petition in bankruptcy, or other state or federal law proceeding for the rearrangement of debts, is ?led by or against the Borrower; Doss Special Receiver, LLC resigns or is terminated as the Receiver (or Barry Doss ceases to be the manager of Doss Special Receiver, LLC) and is not replaced by a substitute receiver (or manager) satisfactory to the Lender within thiity (30) days of such resignation or termination; Withoat the express written consent of Lender, any surety bond issued by the Lender in favor of the Borrower is forfeited by the obligee; The applicable Order shall not be in force and shall have been vacated, revised, or modi?ed or stayed in any respect; and 22 Exhibit A The Court approves any alternative ?nancing which, without the written consent of the Lender, primes the liens and security interests granted to the Lender pursuant to this Term Sheet. Any Event of Default shall be deemed not to be continuing if the events, acts or conditions that gave rise to such Event of Default have been remedied or cured or have ceased to exist. Upon the occurrence of an Event of Default, the Lender may declare the termination, reduction or restriction of any further commitment to the extent any such commitment remains, (ii) all obligations to be immediately due and payable without presentment, demand, protest, or other notice of any kind, all of which are expressly waived by the Borrower, and the termination of the Receivership Facility; and and upon the giving of ?ve (5) calendar days' notice to the Borrower, exercise all other rights and remedies provided for the in the Receivership Facility Documents and applicable law, including, but not limited, the exercise of any and all rights in the Collateral. In the event that the Receivership Facility is terminated for any reason other than as identi?ed in above, and the Borrower does not have suf?cient cash on hand to pay the outstanding fees and expenses of the Receiver, the Lender shall pay any unpaid amount to the Receiver within ten (I. 0) days of such request by the Receiver. Reporting: The Receiver shall provide the Lender with all information reasonably requested by the Lender in connection with the Borrower and the Receivership Facility. including, but not limited to, budgets, budget variances, accounts receivable and payable statements, general ledgers, etc. Governing This Term Sheet shall be governed by the laws of the state of New York without Law: regard to its con?ict of law principles. ERP ENVIRONMENTAL FUND, INC. By its Special Receiver, Doss Engineering, LLC, By its Manager, R. Barry Doss INDEMNITY NATIONAL INSURANCE COMPANY Thomas Elkins, President 23 EXHIBIT Exhibit IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF KANAWHA COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA HAROLD D. WARD, Director, Division of Mining and Reclamation, West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, Plaintiff, v. CIVIL ACTION NO. ERP ENVIRONMENTAL FUND, IN C., Defendant. PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION AND ORDER PRELIMINARILY APPOINTING A SPECIAL RECEIVER FOR PROPERTY, ASSETS, AND OPERATIONS Upon consideration of the emergency motion of the Plaintiff for entry of a preliminary injunction and order appointing a special receiver of the Defendant?s property, assets, and operations and the declaration of the Plaintiff in support thereof; and upon the record of the evidentiary hearing held before the Court to consider the Plaintiff?s emergency motion; and it appearing that there exist imminent and identi?able threats to the public health and safety that require immediate and ongoing action to prevent such threats and an exigent need for immediate and ongoing funding and competent management to ensure the Defendant?s compliance with laws designed to prevent such threats that warrant and require immediate, preliminary relief; and this Court having entered an Order granting the Plaintiff request for a temporary restraining order and temporarily appointing a special receiver (the ?Temporary Order?); and it appearing that the Defendant has consented to the relief requested and granted herein, it is hereby ORDERED that: Exhibit 1. This Court has personal jurisdiction over the Defendant, which holds mining and water pollution control permits issued by the Plaintiff and operates active coal mining sites within the State of West Virginia. 2. This Court has subject matter jurisdiction and venue over this action pursuant to and in accordance with W. Va. Code 3. This Court has the power to issue the preliminary relief granted hereby pursuant to W. Va. Code 22?3-170) and West Virginia Rule of Civil Procedure 65(a). 4. The Plaintiff?s emergency motion, to the extent that it seeks entry of a preliminary injunction and the appointment of a special receiver on a preliminary basis, is hereby granted. Injunctive Relief 5. The Defendant shall be and hereby is enjoined from violating the terms and conditions of its mining and water pollution control permits and the West Virginia Surface Coal Mining and Reclamation Act and the West Virginia Water Pollution Control Act and the rules promulgated thereunder, pending the entry of a ?nal judgment in this action. Appointment of a Receiver 6. Pending the entry of a ?nal judgment in this action, a Special Receiver is hereby appointed pursuant to W. Va. Code 53-6-1 on a preliminary basis, subject to the Court?s oversight, supervision, and further approval, as needed, to assume full operation, management, and control of the Defendant?s assets and operations, oversee, manage, and direct the acts, conduct, operations, assets, liabilities, and ?nancial conditions of the Defendant, and in consultation with the applicable environmental regulatory agencies, develop a plan and schedule for compliance with the Defendant?s permits and take all necessary and appropriate action to bring the Defendant?s operations into compliance with the Defendant?s permits, the Exhibit federal Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act and the federal Clean Water Act and the state counterparts thereto and the rules promulgated thereunder, and the orders of the applicable environmental regulatory agencies, all for the protection of the public and the environment and the preservation of the Defendant?s business and assets for the bene?t of all parties having an interest in the Defendant and its business, assets, and affairs. 7. The Plaintiff and the Special Receiver have advised the Court that due to the number and current status of the permits the Defendant holds, it is impractical to abate all existing violations and commence or maintain reclamation work simultaneously on all of the Defendant?s permitted sites and outfalls and the Defendant holds several permits and property interests outside the State of West Virginia. The Special Receiver shall prioritize abatement and reclamation based upon criteria and input of the applicable regulatory authorities and Defendant?s reclamation bond sureties taking into consideration such factors as site conditions, the need for public safety, environmental protection, ef?cient scheduling, cash ?ow and operational concerns. The Plaintiff and the Special Receiver shall take all reasonable steps necessary or appropriate to secure in states outside the State of West Virginia the same authorities and protections for the Special Receiver as are set forth in this Order. 8. Doss Special Receiver, LLC, a West Virginia limited liability company, is hereby appointed as the Special Receiver for the purposes set forth in the immediately preceding decretal paragraph. Doss Special Receiver, LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Doss Engineering, Inc., a West Virginia corporation, and Barry Doss is the sole manager of Doss Special Receiver, LLC. No individual or entity may succeed or replace Doss Special Receiver, LLC, Doss Engineering, Inc., or Barry Doss and no change in control of Doss Special Receiver, LLC may occur, in each case without the express written consent of the Plaintiff and a further Exhibit order of this Court. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Doss Special Receiver, LLC may retain and compensate Doss Engineering, Inc., either directly or on behalf of the receivership estate, to provide consulting and other services to the receivership estate. 9. The Special Receiver and its owner, manager, employees, agents, attorneys and other professionals hired by it with respect to performing its duties hereunder shall have no personal liability and shall have no claim asserted against them relating to the performance of the Special Receiver?s duties under this Order, except for claims for actual damages (and not consequential damages) due to their gross negligence, gross or willful misconduct, malicious acts or the failure to comply with Orders of this Court. In any event, the liability of the Special Receiver or persons acting on its behalf shall be limited to the assets of Defendant?s estate. 10. Without limiting the generality of the immediately preceding decretal paragraph, the Special Receiver and its owner, manager, employees, agents, attorneys and other professionals hired by it are not, and shall not be construed as or deemed to be, an agent, owner, operator, or controller of the Defendant or its operations for the purposes of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act and the Clean Water Act and the state counterparts thereto and the rules and regulations thereunder, the applicant violator system, or any other applicable environmental law, solely on account of the performance of the Special Receiver?s duties under this Order, and the Plaintiff shall work with federal and other state regulatory authorities as necessary to ensure that the Special Receiver and its owner, manager, employees, agents, attorneys and other professionals hired by it are not either held liable under such laws or rendered ineligible for permits in West Virginia or elsewhere as a result of their actions pursuant to this Order. Exhibit 11. The Special Receiver shall be compensated on an hourly basis at the hourly rates set forth in Exhibit A hereto, which terms and conditions are hereby approved, and no additional orders or approvals by the Court or any other party shall be necessary with respect to such compensation or the payment thereof to the Special Receiver. 12. Within thirty days of the date hereof, the Special Receiver shall obtain a surety bond in the amount of $250,000 pursuant to and in accordance with W. Va. Code 53-6?1 a copy of which bond shall be filed with the Court. 13. The Special Receiver is hereby authorized to borrow money on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in Exhibit hereto, which terms and conditions are hereby approved (as so approved, the ?Funding Facility?). Creation of Receivership Estate 14. Immediately upon entry of this Order, a receivership estate shall be deemed created for the Defendant, which estate shall be under the sole and exclusive control, supervision, and management of the Special Receiver. 15. All of the Defendant?s real property, personal property, both tangible and intangible and including intellectual property, leases (whether as lessor or lessee) of real or personal property, permits, assets, books, records, ?xtures, equipment, inventory, as-extracted assets, reserves, and any other real, personal, tangible, or intangible property of the Defendant of any kind or nature whatsoever, wherever located, shall be deemed immediately transferred to the Defendant?s receivership estate under the management, operation, and control of the Special Receiver without any further action on the part of the Defendant or the Special Receiver. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the assets transferred shall include all rights of Exhibit the Defendant in, to, or under any insurance policy and insurance proceeds, including any policy or proceeds applicable to any of the liabilities transferred to the receivership. 16. All persons, including the Defendant, all of its of?cers, directors, employees, stock or equity holders, any secured or unsecured creditors of the Defendant, and any other persons, are ordered to turn over to the Special Receiver all cash, keys, documents, deposits, payments received, books and records, equipment, software, and any other property of the Defendant, including water samples and the results of the testing thereof, in their possession, custody, or control or that come into their possession, custody, or control after the entry of this Order. 17. The banks and other financial institutions where the Defendant has account relationships are authorized and directed to comply with all instructions given by the Special Receiver in furtherance of the authority vested in him in this Order and any other Order entered- in connection with this action. 18. Any person claiming to own property situated on the Defendant?s property or used by the Defendant in connection with the operation of its business or property is enjoined from removing said property absent the actual written consent of the Special Receiver or upon further Order of the Court. 19. All existing claims, liens, and encumbrances against the Defendant or its properties or assets shall be deemed to constitute claims, liens, or encumbrances against the Defendant?s receivership estate. 20. The Special Receiver shall have no liability or responsibility for the payment or discharge of any claims, liens, or encumbrances against the Defendant?s receivership estate. The Special Receiver shall not be liable for any employee-related liabilities of the Defendant, other Exhibit than the amounts the Special Receiver may speci?cally agree in writing to pay. The Special Receiver, subject to the terms and conditions of this Order, shall be liable for any employee? related liabilities relating to any employees that the Special Receiver may hire. 21. No person shall ?le suit or take other legal or enforcement action against the Special Receiver without an Order of this Court permitting the suit or action. 22. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, nothing shall empower the Special Receiver or the Defendant to carry on any business or activity which the Defendant is not lawfully entitled to carry on or exempt the Special Receiver or the Defendant from complying with statutory or regulatory provisions relating to the public health and safety or the environment. 23. Any and all costs, expenses, and liabilities of the receivership and the receivership estate created hereby, including, without limitation, the debts and liabilities incurred by the Special Receiver under the Funding Facility, the costs and expenses of the Special Receiver, the fees and expenses of any professionals retained by the Special Receiver, and the costs and expenses of the operation of the Defendant?s business, shall constitute claims against the Defendant?s receivership estate, shall be paid as a ?rst-priority expense from the net proceeds of the operations or income of the Defendant and the sale of the Defendant?s properties and assets, and shall be senior to any valid, enforceable, and unavoidable liens and security interests in any collateral that were properly perfected by the date hereof, it being understood that the debts and liabilities under the Funding Facility shall be subordinate to any such valid, enforceable, unavoidable, and properly perfected liens and security interests, nothing in this action or Order shall make the Plaintiff responsible for the payment of the costs, expenses, and liabilities of the receivership and the receivership estate created hereby, and (0) nothing in this (or any Exhibit other) paragraph shall affect the Special Receiver?s right to payment of his compensation and expenses from the Funding Facility. 24. All persons having oral or written agreements with the Defendant for the supply of goods or services are hereby restrained pending further Order of this Court from discontinuing, altering, interfering with or terminating the supply of such goods or services as may be required by the Special Receiver. 25. The Special Receiver shall be entitled to the continued use of the Defendant?s current telephone numbers, facsimile numbers, internet addresses and domain names, provided in each case that the normal prices or charges for all such goods or services received after the date of this Order shall be paid by the Special Receiver in accordance with the normal payment practices of the Defendant or such other practices as may be agreed upon by the supplier or service provider and the Special Receiver or as may be ordered by this Court. Powers of the Receiver 26. The Special Receiver is hereby empowered and authorized, but not obligated, to act at once in respect of the Defendant?s assets, property, business, and affairs and, without in any way limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Special Receiver is hereby expressly empowered and authorized to do any of the following where the Special Receiver considers it necessary, appropriate, or desirable: a. To take possession of and exercise control over the Defendant?s property and any and all proceeds, receipts and disbursements arising out of or from the Defendant?s property; b. To receive, preserve and protect the Defendant?s property, or any part or parts thereof, including, but not limited to, the changing of locks and security codes, the relocating of property to safeguard it, the engaging of independent security personnel, the taking of physical inventories and the placement of such insurance coverage as may be necessary or desirable; Exhibit To manage, operate and carry on the business of the Defendant, including the powers to enter into any agreements, incur any obligations in the ordinary course of business, cease to carry on all or any part of the Defendant?s business, or cease to perform any contracts of the Defendant; To negotiate and enter into ?nancings, incur debt, or grant liens as necessary, desirable, or appropriate in the management of the Defendant?s business, assets, or affairs, subject to Court approval; To retain, hire, or discharge employees on behalf of the receivership estate (none of whom are, or shall be deemed to be, employees of the Court or the Special Receiver) and to establish their wages, salaries, and bene?ts; To engage consultants, appraisers, agents, experts, auditors, accountants, managers, counsel and such other persons from time to time and on whatever basis, including on a temporary basis, to assist with the Special Receiver?s powers and duties, including without limitation those conferred by this Order, in each case subject to Court approval; provided, that, no such Court approval shall be required with respect to the Special Receiver?s engagement of Doss Engineering, Inc; (2) accountants, legal counsel or such other persons in the normal and ordinary course of the receivership estate?s business or operations, or (3) such other third?party contractors as may be deemed necessary by the Special Receiver to conduct the receivership estate?s operations, including but not limited to, with respect to any and all reclamation activities; To purchase, lease, repair or replace machinery, equipment, inventories, supplies, premises or other assets to continue the business of the Defendant or any part or parts thereof; To receive and collect all monies and accounts now owed or hereafter owing to the Defendant and to exercise all remedies of the Defendant in collecting such monies, including, without limitation, to enforce any security held by the Defendant; To settle, extend or compromise any indebtedness owing to or by the Defendant, subject to Court approval; To execute, assign, issue and endorse documents of whatever nature in respect of any of the Defendant?s property, whether in the Special Receiver?s name or in the name and on behalf of the Defendant, for any purpose pursuant to this Order; To undertake environmental or workers? health and safety assessments of the defendant?s property and operations; To enter into consent orders, consent decrees, or other agreements with applicable environmental regulatory agencies with respect to the Defendant?s environmental obligations, including the Defendant?s environmental obligations under this Order; Exhibit To cause the Defendant to perform any bonding and reclamation obligations so as to comply with applicable state and federal laws and regulations and effect the release of bonds for the bene?t of the Defendant; To investigate, pursue, make, ?le, represent, defend against, and enter an appearance in any demand, lawsuit, action, claim, petition, filing, litigation, and proceeding, whether judicial or administrative, against any person for and on behalf of the Defendant, its interests, and its property; To initiate, prosecute and continue the prosecution of any and all proceedings and to defend all proceedings now pending or hereafter instituted with respect to the Defendant, the Defendant?s property or the Special Receiver, and to settle or compromise any such proceedings subject to Court approval; To direct the litigation strategy of the Defendant in any lawsuit, proceeding, action, administrative proceeding, or similar proceeding, including, without limitation, acting on behalf of and representing the Defendant?s and its interests in any bankruptcy proceeding involving the Defendant; To market any or all of the Defendant?s property, including advertising and soliciting offers in respect of the Defendant?s property or any part or parts thereof and negotiating such terms and conditions of sale as the Special Receiver in its discretion may deem appropriate; To sell, convey, transfer, lease or assign the Defendant?s property or any part or parts thereof outside the ordinary course of business, i. Without the approval of this Court in respect of any transaction not exceeding $50,000 up to an aggregate consideration for all such transactions does not exceed $500,000; and ii. With the approval of this Court; To apply for any order or orders necessary to convey the Defendant?s property or any part or parts thereof to a purchaser or purchasers thereof free and clear of any liens or encumbrances affecting such property; To report to, meet with, and discuss with such affected persons as the Special Receiver deems appropriate all matters relating to the Defendant?s property, assets, operations, and affairs and the receivership, and to share information, subject to such terms as to confidentiality as the Special Receiver deems advisable; To register a copy of this Order and any other Orders in respect of the Defendant?s property against title to any of the Defendant?s property; To apply for any permits, licenses, approvals, or permissions as may be required by any governmental authority and any renewals, modi?cations, extensions, or releases thereof for and on behalf of and in the name of the Defendant; 10 Exhibit v. To review all the Defendant?s insurance policies, including workers? compensation, disability, general liability, and hazard insurance, and to cancel, renew, extend, retain, modify, purchase, or otherwise deal with such insurance, engage the agent of record therefor, and name the receivership estate as an additional insured or loss payee, as the Special Receiver deems appropriate for the Defendant and its properties? preservation and protection; w. To exercise any shareholder, partnership, joint venture or other rights which the Defendant may have; x. To exercise any and all rights, powers, duties, and privileges of the Defendant, including, without limitation, any attomey?client or other similar privilege; y. To ?le a petition in bankruptcy and prosecute a bankruptcy case and any related proceedings for the Defendant; z. To make any and all other signi?cant decisions affecting the Defendant or its business, affairs, or properties in the exercise of its reasonable business judgment; and aa. To take any steps reasonably incidental to the exercise of these powers or the performance of its duties; And in each case where the Special Receiver takes any such actions or steps, it shall be exclusively authorized and empowered to do so to the exclusion of all other persons, including the Defendant and its of?cers, directors, agents, representatives, and employees, and without interference from any other person. 27. With respect to the exercise of the powers speci?ed in the preceding decretal paragraph, the Special Receiver shall be vested, exclusively, with the standing and all authority of the board of directors, shareholders, members, managers and of?cers of the Defendant and shall exclusively have all the duties, powers, and authority thereof under its certi?cates or articles of incorporation, operating agreements, bylaws, and any other organizational documents with respect thereto. 28. The Special Receiver may defend against any lawsuit, action, claim, petition, ?ling, litigation, or proceeding brought against him in its capacity as a Special Receiver or 11 Exhibit against or pertaining to the Defendant. Any and all costs and expenses, including attomeys? fees, arising from or incurred in connection with such legal actions or suits shall be paid as operating expenses of the receivership estate(s). 29. The Special Receiver shall not be responsible for the preparation and ?ling of any tax returns for the Defendant or its subsidiaries or af?liates (including any income, personal property, commercial activity, gross receipts, sales and use, or other tax returns) for any tax period ending prior to the date of the Special Receiver?s appointment, it being understood that the Special Receiver shall be responsible for the preparation and ?ling of any tax returns for the Defendant for tax periods ending during the tenure of the Special Receiver. 30. The Special Receiver may recommend to the Court that it be authorized to perform any other duties and responsibilities it reasonably believes may be necessary or appropriate to further the objectives of the receivership, including but not limited to leasing, selling, assigning, transferring or conveying the Defendant?s property or any interest therein or performing any capital improvements thereto, or such other or further relief as it may deem necessary or appropriate to further the objectives of the receivership. 31. The Special Receiver shall prepare and ?le with the Court on a basis a report of the Special Receiver?s actions taken pursuant to this Order and an accurate accounting of all monies collected, disbursements made, and expenses incurred. Copies of such reports and accountings shall be served on all counsel of record and unrepresented parties herein simultaneously with their ?ling. 32. All actions taken by the Special Receiver pursuant to the authorizations contained in this Order shall be valid, binding, and enforceable acts of the Defendant. 12 Exhibit Iniunctions Against Interference with Receivershin 33. All persons, including but not limited to the Defendant and its of?cers, agents, servants, employees, attorneys, and all persons in active concert or participation with them, are enjoined from in any way interfering with the operation of the receivership or in any way disturbing the assets, liabilities, and operations of the receivership, pending further Order of this Court. 34. The Defendant is hereby enjoined from taking any action with respect to the operation or management of its properties, assets, business, and affairs, except as requested by the Special Receiver, pending further Order of this Court. 35. All of?cers, directors, employees, attorneys, accountants, and equity interest holders of the Defendant are directed to use their best efforts to ensure a smooth transition of the operation of the Defendant?s business and assets to the Special Receiver, are prohibited from interfering with the Special Receiver in the exercise of its rights, powers, duties, and privileges hereunder or taking any action inconsistent with the terms and provisions of this Order, shall fully cooperate with the Special Receiver in carrying out its rights, privileges, and duties under this Order, including responding to all reasonable requests for information or documentation and execution of documents, and are barred from commencing a case under the Bankruptcy Code or other insolvency proceeding for or on behalf of the Defendant. 36. Any and all existing proceedings against or in respect of the Defendant or its property are hereby stayed and suspended pending further Order of this Court, provided, however, that nothing in this Order shall prevent any person from commencing a proceeding regarding a claim that might otherwise become barred by statute or an existing agreement if such 13 Exhibit proceeding is not commenced before the expiration of the stay provided by this paragraph or affect any state or federal regulatory agency?s police and regulatory authority in respect of the Defendant and the Defendant?s assets and operations, including any action, suit or proceeding that is taken in respect of the Defendant by or before the regulatory agency, other than the enforcement of a payment order by the regulatory agency. 37. No person shall ?le suit or take other legal or enforcement action against the Defendant or the Defendant?s property, including the commencement of an involuntary case under the Bankruptcy Code or other insolvency proceeding against the Defendant or the Defendant?s property, except any action taken by a state or federal regulatory agency pursuant to its police and regulatory authority in respect of the Defendant and the Defendant?s assets and operations, including any action, suit or proceeding that is taken in respect of the Defendant by or before the regulatory agency, other than the enforcement of a payment order by the regulatory agency with respect to payment obligations incurred prior to the Special Receiver?s appointment, with the written consent of the Special Receiver, or in accordance with an Order of this Court permitting the suit or action. 38. The exercise of all rights and remedies against the Defendant, the Special Receiver, or the Defendant?s property, including, without limitation, the exercise of setoff rights and the creation, perfection or enforcement of a lien, are hereby stayed and suspended except with the written consent of the Special Receiver or an Order of this Court permitting the exercise of such rights and remedies. 39. Nothing in this Order shall be interpreted to alter, diminish or enlarge the rights or obligations of any person who has issued surety bonds on behalf of the Defendant (a ?Surety?) or the rights of any bene?ciary of surety bonds issued on behalf of the Defendant as to any third 14 Exhibit party, including any Surety or governmental authority, nor shall anything in this Order be deemed to enjoin any Surety or governmental authority from asserting any rights, claims, or defenses against any third party, including any Surety or governmental authority. For the avoidance of doubt, any Surety and governmental authority shall retain any and all rights afforded to it under the Surface Mining Coal and Reclamation Act and the Water Pollution Control Act, the state counterparts thereto, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. Termination of Receivership Order 40. The Special Receiver may apply to the Court to terminate this Order in the event that a. All or substantially all of the Defendant?s mining permits shall have been revoked pursuant to ?nal orders of the regulatory agencies that issued those permits; or b. The Special Receiver determines that it lacks the ability to comply with its obligations under this Order, including for a lack of suf?cient funding; or c. The Special Receiver is unable to reach agreements with appropriate regulatory authorities or any Surety as to the prioritization of reclamation and compliance efforts; or d. Is unable to ensure it has the necessary authority and protections to manage or dispose of liabilities, obligations or properties arising from operations or properties outside of West Virginia; or e. A case under the Bankruptcy Code or other insolvency proceeding is commenced and has not been dismissed or suspended within sixty days thereafter. 15 Exhibit In any of these events, the Special Receiver shall be entitled to an order terminating this Order upon at least ten (10) days? notice to all parties in interest in the receivership. If the Court terminates this Order then the Special Receiver shall cooperate with the Defendant or any successor receiver in an orderly transfer of estate property. Scope of this Order 41. To the fullest extent permissible by law given this Court?s in rem jurisdiction over the Defendant?s property, assets, operations, and affairs, this Order is intended to and shall apply to all persons without regard to their residence or domicile or contacts within the State of West Virginia and to all federal, state, and local governmental authorities having jurisdiction and power over the Defendant?s property, assets, operations, and affairs and be given Full Faith and Credit in accordance with the Constitution of the United States. Retention of urisdictigg 42. This Court shall retain jurisdiction with respect to all matters arising from or related to the receivership estate, the Special Receiver, the management and operation of the Defendant?s business, properties, and affairs, and the implementation of this Order. Notice of Entry of Order 43. Counsel for the Plaintiff is directed to serve a copy of this Order upon the Defendant and all known creditors, employees, equity interest holders, regulatory agencies, owners and controllers, and other parties interest of the Defendant within ?ve business days from the entry of this Order. The costs and expenses associated with such service shall constitute an expense of the receivership estate and be reimbursed, upon the submission of an appropriate invoice therefor, by the Special Receiver. 16 Exhibit 44. This Order supersedes and replaces the Temporary Order previously entered by the Court, but shall not be deemed to affect the rights of any person under the Temporary Order for any acts or actions undertaken pursuant thereto prior to the date hereof. Dated: March 2020 Circuit Court Judge 17 Exhibit EXHIBIT A COMPENSATION OF SPECIAL RECEIVER For the work contemplated by the Order, Doss Special Receiver, LLC will bill and be paid on an hourly basis at Mr. Doss? customary rate (less a 15% discount) as shown on the attached rate sheet for Doss Engineering, Inc.: 0 Provided that the Special Receiver shall be paid for a minimum of 60 hours work per month regardless how many hours are expended, but not more than 120 hours per month. The Special Receiver shall be entitled to use the services of Doss Engineering, Inc. at the rates in the attached term sheet (less a 10% discount). Upon entry of the Order, the Special Receiver shall be entitled to a lump sum payment of $18,500 to cover the initial costs of professional services (including Mr. Doss?) and of procuring additional insurance. In the event that the Order is terminated, the Special Receiver withdraws as Receiver or the Surety elects to stop funding the Special Receiver then upon the presentation of a ?nal bill the Surety shall pay the Special Receiver within 10 days. 18 RATE FEE SCHEDULE As ofJanuary 1, 2020 Exhibit on?denrinl Principal Professional Engineer Litigation Due Diligence Support Senior Mining Engineer Project Manager Senior Geologist Staff Engineer Senior Aquatic Biologist Taxonomist Staff Geologist Staff Biologist Engineering Environmental Technician Auto-Cad Permitting Of?ce Field Laboratory Clerical lAdministrative 2?man Survey Crew 2-man GPS Survey Crew UAV Drone Pilot Mileage Misc. Materials, Other Direct Expenses Travel Payment Terms: $150.00 hour Quoted on Request $90.00 hour $85.00 hour $75.00 hour $75.00 hour $65.00 hour $65.00 hour $60.00 hour $50.00 hour $40.00 hour $30.00 hour $37.50 hour $85.00 hour $120.00 hour $75.00 hour $0.75 mile Cost+10% At Cost Net 30 days from receipt of invoice Rates are effective January 1, 2020, but are subject to change without notice. 19 Exhibit EXHIBIT FUNDING FACILITY TERM SHEET ERP ENVIRONMENTAL FUND, INC. 33 1,000,000 Senior Secured Receivership Delayed Draw Term Loan Facility Summarv of Terms and Conditions THIS SUMMARY OF TERMS AND CONDITIONS (THE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A LEGALLY BINDING OBLIGATION OR COMMITMENT, UNLESS AND UNTIL IT IS FULLY EXECUTED AND DELIVERED BY ALL PARTIES HERETO AND ALL CONDITIONS PRECEDENT SET FORTH BELOW HAVE BEEN SATISFIED OR WAIVED. The terms outlined below in this Term Sheet are the terms and conditions for a senior secured receivership delayed draw term loan credit facility to be made available to ERP Environmental Group, Inc. This Term Sheet; a credit agreement containing substantially the terms and subject the conditions set forth in the Term Sheet, if any; the Temporary Order, the Preliminary Order, and any other order entered by the Court in connection with this Term Sheet (collectively, the ?0rders?), shall constitute the exclusive and de?nitive documentation and agreement among the parties (the ?Receivership Facility Documents?). Borrower: ERP Environmental Fund, Inc., (?Borrower?), by and through Doss Special Receiver, LLC, as its proposed Special Receiver (the ?Receiver?) in a proceeding (the ?Receivership?) to be ?led in the Circuit Court of Kanawha County, West Virginia (the ?Court?). The date of the commencement of the Receivership will be referred to as the ?Receivership Date.? Lender: Indemnity National Insurance Company, a Mississippi corporation (?Lender?). Funding A maximum amount of $1,000,000 in the aggregate, as follows: Facility: A senior secured US. dollar denominated delayed draw term loan facility in an aggregate principal amount of up to $1,000,000 (the ?Receivership Facility? and the loans made thereunder, the ?Receivership Loans?). The Receivership Loans may be drawn in multiple installments, with up to $325,000 of Receivership Loans available upon entry of the Temporary Order. Security and Priority: The obligations of the Borrower under the Receivership Facility shall have the priority afforded to them pursuant to the Orders and shall be secured by a perfected security interest and lien on all real and personal property of the Borrower, whether now owned or hereafter acquired (the ?Collateral?), without any requirement for the execution, delivery, recording or ?ling of any security agreement, mortgage, deed of trust, ?nancing statement or similar document, instrument or agreement covering such Collateral. 20 Exhibit Upon entry of the Preliminary Order (as de?ned below), the Lender?s lien on the Collateral shall be superior to and shall prime any and all pre-existing liens and security interests in the Collateral. The Lender shall be deemed to have consented to the release of its liens such that the Receiver can effectuate the sale of the property of the Borrower, subject to the terms of Orders, provided, that the proceeds of such sale(s) shall only be used for those purposes identi?ed in the Orders, subject to a budget to be negotiated by the Lender and the Receiver. The Receiver, on behalf of the Borrower, shall execute and deliver to Lender all such mortgages, security agreements, deeds of trust or other documents and instruments as may be reasonably required by the Lender to evidence and secure the Receivership Facility. The Lender shall be solely responsible for all costs associated with the preparation and ?ling of any requested ?nancing documents. Purpose: Amounts that may be made available under the Receivership Facility shall be used by the Receiver to fund the costs of administering the Receivership and for the general operating expenses of the Borrower in complying with the speci?c tasks identi?ed in the applicable Orders. All expenditures from the Receivership Loans, other than the initial Receivership Loan of $325,000, shall be subject to a budget to be prepared by the Receiver and approved by the Lender (the ?Budget?) subject to permitted variances to be agreed upon by the Receiver and the Lender. Interest: The Receivership Loans shall bear interest at the rate of two percent per annum. All interest shall be computed on the basis of a year consisting of 360 days and shall be calculated based on the daily principal amount outstanding for such period. All interest shall be payable in kind and shall be paid in full on the Termination Date (as de?ned below). Maturity: The Receivership Facility shall mature upon the ?Termination Date,? which, with respect to the Receivership Facility, shall be the earliest of the date that is twenty-four (24) months after the Receivership Date and the acceleration of the Receivership Loans and the termination of the Receivership Facility in accordance with the Receivership Facility Documents. Conditions Precedent to Initial Credit Extension: The obligation of the Lender to make the initial Receivership Loan is subject to the satisfaction (or waiver by the Lender) of the following conditions: The Receivership Date shall have occurred on or before March 27, 2020; and A temporary order creating the Receivership estate, appointing Doss Special Receiver, LLC as Receiver, and approving the Receivership Facility and this Term Sheet (the ?Temporary Order?), shall have been entered by the Court, in form and substance acceptable to Lender, within seven (7) days of the Receivership Date. 21 Exhibit Conditions Precedent to Subsequent Credit Extensions: The obligation of the Lender to make any Receivership Loans after the initial Receivership Loan is subject to the satisfaction (or waiver by the Lender) of the following conditions: Each of the Receivership Facility Documents shall continue to be in full force and effect and no Event of Default (as de?ned below) shall have occurred and be continuing; A preliminary order reaf?rming the Temporary Order and granting certain other relief, including, but not limited to, the priming liens identi?ed herein (the ?Preliminary Order?), shall have been entered by the Court, in form and substance acceptable to Lender; The Borrower Receiver shall have complied in all material respects with all agreements and covenants required to be performed or complied with by it under the Receivership Facility Documents; The Receiver shall have provided the Lender with a Budget and, if applicable, the Borrower shall have been conducting its business in accordance with the Budget; A request for borrowing shall have been made by the Receiver; The Orders shall be in full force and effect and shall not have been vacated, revised, or modi?ed or stayed in any respect; and The making of such advance shall not violate any requirement of law and shall not be enjoined temporarily, preliminarily or permanently. Events of Default: The occurrence of any of the following events, unless waived by the Lender in writing, shall constitute an ?Event of Default? and collectively ?Events of Default?: The failure of Borrower to pay principal or interest at the Termination Date 'or as otherwise set forth in the Receivership Facility Documents; The Receiver shall fail to observe or to perform any other covenant, obligation, condition or agreement contained in the Receivership Facility Documents; The Receiver shall make any expenditure of the proceeds of the Receivership Loans or the Collateral that is in excess, subject to any permitted variances, of the amounts permitted by the Budget; The Receivership is dismissed or terminated; A voluntary or involuntary petition in bankruptcy, or other state or federal law proceeding for the rearrangement of debts, is ?led by or against the Borrower; Doss Special Receiver, LLC resigns or is terminated as the Receiver (or Barry Doss ceases to be the manager of Doss Special Receiver, LLC) and is not replaced by a substitute receiver (or manager) satisfactory to the Lender within thirty (30) days of such resignation or termination; Without the express written consent of Lender, any surety bond issued by the Lender in favor of the Borrower is forfeited by the obligee; The applicable Order shall not be in force and shall have been vacated, revised, or modi?ed or stayed in any respect; and 22 Exhibit The Court approves any alternative ?nancing which, without the written consent of the Lender, primes the liens and security interests granted to the Lender pursuant to this Term Sheet. Any Event of Default shall be deemed not to be continuing if the events, acts or conditions that gave rise to such Event of Default have been remedied or cured or have ceased to exist. Upon the occurrence of an Event of Default, the Lender may declare the termination, reduction or restriction of any further commitment to the extent any such commitment remains, (ii) all obligations to be immediately due and payable without presentment, demand, protest, or other notice of any kind, all of which are expressly waived by the Borrower, and the termination of the Receivership Facility; and and upon the giving of five (5) calendar days? notice to the Borrower, exercise all other rights and remedies provided for the in the Receivership Facility Documents and applicable law, including, but not limited, the exercise of any and all rights in the Collateral. In the event that the Receivership Facility is terminated for any reason other than as identified in above, and the Borrower does not have suf?cient cash on hand to pay the outstanding fees and expenses of the Receiver, the Lender shall pay any unpaid amount to the Receiver within ten (10) days of such request by the Receiver. Reporting: The Receiver shall provide the Lender with all information reasonably requested by the Lender in connection with the Borrower and the Receivership Facility. including, but not limited to, budgets, budget variances, accouhts receivable and payable statements, general ledgers, etc. Governing This Term Sheet shall be governed by the laws of the state of New York without Law: regard to its conflict of law principles. ERP ENVIRONMENTAL FUND, INC. By its Special Receiver, Doss Engineering, LLC, By its Manager, R. Barry Doss INDEMNITY NATIONAL INSURANCE COMPANY Thomas Elkins, President 23