April, 01 2010, 02:27pm EDT
Rainforest Action Network Statement on EPA's New Guidance for Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining
The
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today A major new guidance document
that provides the coal industry and coal-state regulators with "clarity"
regarding the permitting of mountaintop removal coal mining. This comes just days after the EPA blocked
the Clean Water Act permit for the Spruce No. 1 Mine in Logan County,
the largest mountaintop removal permit in West Virginia history.
Following is a statement by Amanda Starbuck of the Rainforest Action
Network.
WASHINGTON
The
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today A major new guidance document
that provides the coal industry and coal-state regulators with "clarity"
regarding the permitting of mountaintop removal coal mining. This comes just days after the EPA blocked
the Clean Water Act permit for the Spruce No. 1 Mine in Logan County,
the largest mountaintop removal permit in West Virginia history.
Following is a statement by Amanda Starbuck of the Rainforest Action
Network.
"After months of steps, the EPA has finally taken a leap to protect
America's mountains and drinking water from mountaintop removal coal
mining. This is a clear response to resounding public opposition to the
devastating mining practice.
"The EPA is finally
flexing its full authority under the clean water act to curtail valley
fills and protect the health of our waterways from irreversible damage.
Coal operators and state mining regulators will have to contend with
this rigorous mandate.
"The EPA has confirmed what science tells us, that mountaintop removal
is harming water resources and public health in real and measurable
ways, which is why these new guidelines should apply to existing mining
permits not just new ones.
"Moving forward, we urge the EPA to take holistic measures to end this
devastating practice once and for all. We cannot end mountaintop removal
coal mining pollution without ending mountaintop removal all together.
The EPA has and must use its authority under the clean water act to stop
this devastating practice."
Rainforest Action Network (RAN) is headquartered in San Francisco, California with offices staff in Tokyo, Japan, and Edmonton, Canada, plus thousands of volunteer scientists, teachers, parents, students and other concerned citizens around the world. We believe that a sustainable world can be created in our lifetime and that aggressive action must be taken immediately to leave a safe and secure world for our children.
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