Newsroom
All News Releases By Date
NEW COMPREHENSIVE FEDERAL PLAN FOR MOUNTAINTOP MINING ANNOUNCED
Release Date: 01/08/99
Contact Information:
FOR RELEASE: FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 1999
NEW COMPREHENSIVE FEDERAL PLAN FOR
MOUNTAINTOP MINING ANNOUNCED
EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced a comprehensive unified federal plan to regulate mountaintop coal mining and associated valley fills in Appalachia to protect water quality and other valuable environmental resources under the Clean Water Act. The four federal agencies, including the Department of Interior’s Office of Surface Mining and Fish and Wildlife Service, will conduct a two-year programmatic environmental impact statement (EIS) to examine how regulations of the four federal agencies interact and what effect this interplay has on protecting the environment from negative environmental impacts of mountaintop mining. The types of answers sought may include: cumulative impacts of mountaintop mining; what kind of biological and habitat analysis should coal companies provide before mining begins; how effective is stream restoration; how viable are reclaimed streams compared to natural waters; what impact do filled valleys have on aquatic life, wildlife and nearby residents; and do companies satisfy their post-mining obligations. Public meetings will be held to gather input from affected citizens. In the meantime, interim permit reforms will determine the way mountaintop mines are permitted during the EIS study.
R-1 ###
Search this collection of releases | or search all news releases
View selected historical press releases from 1970 to 1998 in the EPA History website.
