A fight pitting mining companies and the state is threatening Ohio's ability to clean up southeast Ohio waterways polluted by abandoned coal mines -- and it could leave taxpayers stuck with the bill.

Polluted water coming from abandoned mines is pervasive in the 26-county region with one abandoned mine near New Straitsville gushing about one million gallons of water a day into Monday Creek.

Quarry and gravel pit companies no longer want to pay for stream cleanups they say are caused by coal companies. The amount coal companies pay toward cleanup could drop too because of a larger tax deal with regulators.

State officials and some legislators say they're committed to continuing the cleanup, but that it may take other ways of funding