Community | December 04, 2008 | 17 comments

Bush administration repeals 1983 law, allowing coal mines to pollute watershed

source: http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSTRE4B267F20081203

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korourke

http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSTRE4B267F20081203

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Bush administration is easing the way for coal companies to dump debris from mountaintop mining into nearby valleys and streams in a move deplored by environmental and Appalachian citizens' groups.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday approved the repeal of a 1983 law that prohibited surface coal mining within 100 feet of flowing streams. Most U.S. surface coal mining is done in the steep mountains of Appalachia, across Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee and Kentucky.

EPA's approval was the last hurdle for a proposal that originated at the Interior Department's Office of Surface Mining. The rule goes into effect 30 days after publication in the Federal Register, which has not yet occurred.

This will allow more mountaintop-removal mining, where coal is mined by blasting off the tops of mountains and the crumbled mountaintop debris is pushed into adjoining valleys, environmental groups said in a statement.

"The EPA's own scientists have concluded that dumping mining waste into streams devastates downstream water quality," said Ed Hopkins of the Sierra Club. "By signing off on a rule to eliminate a critical safeguard for streams, the EPA has abdicated its responsibility and left the local communities that depend on these waters at risk."

Some 126 million tons of coal came from U.S. mountaintop mining in 2007, accounting for 10 percent of U.S. coal production, said Carol Raulston of the National Mining Association.

Raulston disputed the environmentalists' charges, saying the new rule was "merely a clarification of what is required in order to conduct any type of mining activity."

Mountaintop mining is safer for miners than underground mining, but its ecological impact has drawn fire from local communities and environmental activists.

More than 400 mountaintops have been stripped of trees and flattened, 1,200 miles of mountain streams have been buried under mining debris since mountaintop mining began in earnest, the groups said in a statement after EPA approved the rule.

"The EPA's decision is a slap in the face of Appalachian communities, which have already endured enough injustice from mountaintop removal," said Vernon Haltom of West Virginia-based Coal River Mountain Watch. "My home and thousands of others are now in greater jeopardy."

The U.S. environment agency said in a statement that it worked closely with the Office of Surface Mining to "enhance environmental protections in the final rule, including requirements that no mining activities may occur in or near streams that would violate federal or state water quality standards."

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The EPA is really not helping anything but special interests at this point. Lets hope Obama does something to restructure it...
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17 comments // Bush administration repeals 1983 law, allowing coal mines to pollute watershed

  • AndreaKnoll
  • GoodGodGuy
    • 0
      GoodGodGuy  

    • Coal can be mined safely even from mountain tops if the companies would install proper filtration and dikes before mining and could be responsible for topsoil repair and greenery. However to repeal a law with the consent of the EPA is an affront to every citizen. Lets kill wolves from helicopters next. OOOOps I guess some do. Ok let's take polar bears off the endangered species list. OOOOOps again.

    • 4 years ago
  • stopnoise
    • 0
      stopnoise  

    • Most of the electricity supplied in the US comes from coal mines. This is the same issue of Petroleum. If US doesn't find another way to supply the energy it will continue to pollute in expense of peoples lives.

    • 4 years ago
  • Kepano
    • 0
      Kepano  

    • This is absurd that the American People who drink the water downstream don’t do anything? This is probably one of the causes of cancers, and other sicknesses created by American People, this is crazy to destroy mountains (600), and 1,200 miles (AMERICA IS FUCKING STUPID), destroying the environment and not accepting its’ responsibility to protect its’ people and environment. When will enough be enough?

    • 4 years ago
  • katharinekov
  • DeliaTheArtist
    • 0
      DeliaTheArtist  

    • But...WHY?

      "The EPA's own scientists have concluded that dumping mining waste into streams devastates downstream water quality," said Ed Hopkins of the Sierra Club. "By signing off on a rule to eliminate a critical safeguard for streams, the EPA has abdicated its responsibility and left the local communities that depend on these waters at risk."

      I'm gonna have to quote Lou Dobbs and ask, DOESN'T ANYBODY DESERVE A GOVERNMENT THAT WORKS?

    • 4 years ago
  • AswadAaron53
  • MoKraak
    • 0
      MoKraak  

    • OMG! I was hoping and praying that the shrub was going to take a break from his evil quest to enrich corporations at any cost, at least for the sake of his "legacy." The man just can't go away quick enough!

      Not to worry though, here comes Jeb to the rescue! BTW what the heck kind of name is "Jeb"? Sounds middle eastern to me. Repeat it to yourself a few times--just for grins

    • 4 years ago
  • jacijacijaci
  • 7c0m9
    • 0
      7c0m9  

    • i've seen the damage done by strip mining and all types of mining even logging. water in eastern ky is destroyed a lot of creeks are like open sewers, which feed into the KY river, which feeds into the Ohio river, which feeds into the Mississippi river which goes to the ocean. hmm shit rolls down hill whod a thought.

    • 4 years ago
  • kennymotown
  • Maitereya
  • sk8r408
    • 0
      sk8r408  

    • The title of this story "Bush administration repeals 1983 law that allows coal mines to pollute" makes it sound like the Bush administration is helping the environment by repealing a law that "allows coal mines to pollute".

    • 4 years ago
  • DreSandoval
  • maasanova

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