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Federal law requires coal companies to restore land to its former state after mining. But as the industry struggles to stay afloat amid cutthroat competition from renewables and natural gas, mining companies are increasingly finding ways to cut corners. In Texas, that has involved cleaning up land to lower standards while state regulators look the other way, leaving thousands of acres potentially contaminated with toxic chemicals. In this three-part series, Grist and The Texas Tribune examine the toxic legacy coal mining companies are leaving behind in the Lone Star State — and how the state is letting them.