Says Congress Should Follow-Up By Approving Clean Water Protection Act (HR 1310)

“I fully support EPA’s decision to halt these permits and applaud the agency for recognizing the importance of protecting clean water. Clean and healthy water is a requirement for healthy people, especially growing children. Congress should follow through on this momentum and pass the Clean Water Protection Act to completely shut down the devastating practice of mountain top removal and to preserve clean water.”

Don’t miss this commentary by Sierra Club’s Bruce Nilles and Mary Anne Hitt at DailyKos.

And the National Mining Association weighs in, via Coal Tattoo

“EPA’s announcement today to halt 79 pending coal mining permits continues the moratorium on Eastern coal mining that jeopardizes the livelihoods of tens of thousands of American workers and their communities.
“By deciding to hold up for still further review coal mining permits pending in West Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio and Tennessee, the agency damages a weak economy struggling to recover in the worst recession in post-war history. “EPA has adopted its own process and criteria for reviewing coal mine permits that is the responsibility of the Army Corp of Engineers. No one outside of EPA –not even the Corps – knows what criteria EPA has used to now find these 79 permits insufficient. Permit applicants do not know what conditions outside the bounds of the existing regulations they must meet to obtain a permit.
“In effect, EPA is imposing new regulations that have not been proposed or publicly reviewed as required by law. This action reinforces our earlier call for a transparent process that gives coal operators confidence in the regulatory process.
“We’re at a loss to understand how EPA’s moratorium on coal mining aligns with the public interest and the Administration’s attempt to restore economic growth and create high wage jobs.”

Kate Sheppard has a good piece at the Washington Independent, and Ken Ward over at Coal Tattoo breaks this down in traditional Coal Tattoo style.