An editorial in this week’s State Journal addressed the "The minority staff of the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee plans to issue a report this week that shows the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's holdup of mining permits in Appalachia jeopardizes more than 5,600 jobs in West Virginia alone."
In his column, State Journal Editor Dan Page addressed the report’s findings, “The minority staff of the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee plans to issue a report this week that shows the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's holdup of mining permits in Appalachia jeopardizes more than 5,600 jobs in West Virginia alone.
“More than that, Senate staffers believe their research shows the EPA has launched a war on coal that is far broader than restricting mountaintop mining. The EPA's response to the 404 permitting process also is prohibiting the development of smaller surface mines, deep mines and related coal operations, staff members said.
“Committee staff members, who work for Sen. James M. Inhofe, R-Okla., said their research shows the EPA has issued 45 of the 235 Clean Water Act Section 404 coal mining permits that it froze last year. The staff found the EPA is threatening 2.2 billion tons of coal production during the life of the proposed mines and posing financial threats to 81 small Appalachian businesses that serve the industry.”