The wheels of justice are moving as best as it can with 300 people and multiple defendants, according to counsel for the residents of the Prenter area who have filed a motion for temporary relief in the Boone County Courthouse. Roger A. Decanio, with The Sutter Law Firm, of Charleston, appeared in court last week while seven coal companies named in the lawsuit filed motions to have the lawsuit dismissed. Judge Will Thompson has set a hearing to hear the coal companies’ motions to dismiss beginning on August 20 with Peabody and continuing with Massey Energy on Sept. 3-4. In December 2008, more than 28 residents in Boone County filed lawsuits, naming seven coal companies responsible for contaminating their drinking water and well supplies. Since that time, more than 300 people have added their names to the lawsuit seeking immediate relief, and 39 insurance companies have added their names to the list of defendants. “Number one, I want my clients, all of them, to have clean drinking water and be able to bathe their children and clean their clothes and dishes,” Decanio said. With the Boone County Commission, PSD, and Gov. Manchin’s office working diligently to begin a water line extension to the area, the Coal Valley News asked Decanio how a waterline extension would impact his clients’ lawsuit. “The fact that they’ll get assistance from a public works program in no way impacts our case. I would hope that the elected officials in Boone County, Charleston and Washington would commit their resources to helping these people,” he said. “We live in the greatest country on Earth – to imagine that there are people in our country who have undrinkable water is against everything that America stands for,” Decanio said.