Owners of Pittston coal company infamously declared that the Buffalo Creek disaster had been, "an Act of God." Yet U.S. Interior Department investigations concluded that the dams had been improperly and inadequately constructed.

After negotiations for compensation failed, nearly 600 citizens sued Pittston for restitution for property damages and for “psychic impairment.” On June 26, 1974, Pittston settled out of court for $13 million, although estimated property damage alone was $50 million.

News coverage of the Buffalo Creek disaster prompted public awareness of mining industry negligence, and is credited with helping the passage of the 1977 Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act. Yet coal slurry impoundments remain a safety and environmental health concern. Slurry lakes in Appalachia now commonly hold billions of gallons.