Thursday’s announcement by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers of its decision to suspend the use of Nationwide Permit 21 (NWP 21) in the Appalachian region of six states is discriminatory and threatens the economy of the region.
In a June 17 announcement, the Corps said they will immediately suspend the issuance of mining permits under the NWP 21 standards for the mining industry in West Virginia as well as Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Virginia.
The Corps said in a release that the suspension “will remain in effect until the Corps takes further action on NWP 21 or until the program expires on March 18, 2012.”
NWP 21 is used to authorize valley fills for mining operations.
“This decision by the Corps is driven by the arrogance of the Obama Administration and the EPA,” said Chris Hamilton, co-chair of the Coalition for Mountaintop Mining. “It is part of a broader attack on the coal industry – particularly the coal industry in Appalachia.
“Why should the coal miners of West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky and Appalachia bear the burden of an unfair and unjust environmental policy – one that clearly discriminates against them and threatens the economy of our region? The Obama Administration and the EPA talk about ‘environmental justice’ but this is neither fair not just. It is discrimination pure and simple.”
“Today’s decision will slow job creation, add further uncertainty to the permitting process and undermine our ability to utilize the nation’s most abundant domestic energy resource—coal,” Hal Quinn, president of the National Mining Association said. “America’s coal mining operations are dedicated to meeting the environmental expectations of the communities in which we operate. The hardworking people of Appalachia have shown their support for NWP 21 and other policies that have provided greater economic certainty for their families and their communities. We are disappointed they have been let down.”