Pollution from a Boone County mining operation is causing bizarre deformities in Mud River fish, and could lead to bigger problems in the future. That's what biologist Dennis Lemly said in a report that has been filed with U.S. District Court in Huntington.

Lemly's research was done on behalf of environmental groups that are suing Hobet Mining over the mountaintop removal operation near the Mud River. His report says he found fish with two eyes on one side of the head, and others with badly curved spines.

Lemly warns continued pollution from the substance selenium could lead to a collapse of the fish population in the Mud River and its tributaries.

Selenium is an antioxidant that is needed in very small amounts for good health. But in slightly larger amounts, selenium can be highly toxic.

The State Department of Environmental Protection agrees that something is definitely wrong with those fish. But Randy Huffman, who will become DEP secretary this week, says more testing needs to be done to determine if it's selenium that's causing the problem.