Pallone Lauds EPA Veto of Major Mountaintop Coal Mining Permit

Calls for action on Clean Water Protection Act

Washington, D.C. -- Congressman Pallone Thursday praised the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision to halt proposed disposal of mountaintop mining waste into West Virginia streams, a long-standing practice in the industry that has disrupted the biological integrity of an area about the size of Delaware. Exercising authority under the Clean Water Act, EPA revoked a permit application for Mingo-Logan Coal Company’s Spruce Mine No. 1 located in the south west region of West Virginia.

“I applaud EPA for this landmark decision that will reduce the harmful effects of this practice on the environment and human health,” said Pallone. “Mountaintop removal mining is a dangerous practice that is harmful to our environment and unsafe for those living in nearby communities. Blast material from these types of mines pollutes streams and rivers and contaminates water supplies, often turning local tap water orange and even black.”

If approved, this permit would have buried more than six miles of headwater streams, directly impacted 2,278 acres of forestland, and degraded water quality in streams adjacent to the mine. This veto, an extremely rare action in the history of the Clean Water Act, demonstrates the EPA's seriousness in curtailing mountaintop removal.

“This permit revocation is a sign of a larger shift from the Bush administration’s mountaintop mining policy, that for too long has fouled water quality, wildlife and human health in Appalachia,” added Pallone.

Congressman Pallone is the lead cosponsor of the Clean Water Protection Act, which would put a stop to the dangerous practice of mountaintop removal mining. The legislation had 172 bipartisan cosponsors in the 111th Congress and Pallone is currently gathering original cosponsors before reintroducing the bill in the new Congress.

Pallone also wrote to EPA in October 2010 supporting the administration’s efforts to curtail mountaintop removal mining under the Clean Water Act. Forty-nine other Members of Congress signed the letter, which also supported EPA’s preliminary veto of the Spruce Mine permit.