Saturday, June 19, 2010
Hal Rogers Responds To Suspension Of Mining Permit Process
KENTUCKY...
U.S. Congressman Hal Rogers (KY-05) released the following
statement today in reaction to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ decision to
indefinitely suspend Nationwide Permit 21 (NWP-21) in Appalachia:
“For years, Nationwide Permit-21 (NWP-21) has served as a valuable tool for the
Corps and coal operators to expedite non-controversial mining permits. In recent
years, NWP-21 guidelines have changed and participation diminished, but by outright
cancelling this program in Appalachia, the Corps will force operators into further
regulatory limbo where nearly 200 mining permits are already gathering dust. I have
no faith that this Administration has the ability or desire to process and approve
coal permitting applications. This latest action will result in further uncertainty
for our people, and could lead some mines to shut down completely, or prohibit
future mines from ever getting off the ground. Perhaps most egregious and
unjustifiable, this ban only applies to Appalachian coal, granting other states the
ability to legally proceed with their operations.
“Eastern Kentucky and Appalachia are national leaders in coal production, by far
our most valuable and abundant energy resource. Throughout Appalachia, 1 in 4
mining jobs is threatened by these politically-motivated delays in the permitting
process, and 81 small businesses in the region stand to close their doors because of
these delays. Today’s announcement, in conjunction with the permit-processing
backlog, the President’s misguided “Cap and Trade” bill, and EPA’s bizarre
carbon dioxide endangerment policy, amounts to another nail in the coffin for
Appalachian mining. With unemployment hovering at 10% and 20,000 hard-working
Kentuckians relying on this industry for their livelihoods, this White House is
doing nothing short of waging war on coal, putting our nation’s economic and
energy security at risk.”
U.S. Congressman Hal Rogers (KY-05) released the following
statement today in reaction to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ decision to
indefinitely suspend Nationwide Permit 21 (NWP-21) in Appalachia:
“For years, Nationwide Permit-21 (NWP-21) has served as a valuable tool for the
Corps and coal operators to expedite non-controversial mining permits. In recent
years, NWP-21 guidelines have changed and participation diminished, but by outright
cancelling this program in Appalachia, the Corps will force operators into further
regulatory limbo where nearly 200 mining permits are already gathering dust. I have
no faith that this Administration has the ability or desire to process and approve
coal permitting applications. This latest action will result in further uncertainty
for our people, and could lead some mines to shut down completely, or prohibit
future mines from ever getting off the ground. Perhaps most egregious and
unjustifiable, this ban only applies to Appalachian coal, granting other states the
ability to legally proceed with their operations.
“Eastern Kentucky and Appalachia are national leaders in coal production, by far
our most valuable and abundant energy resource. Throughout Appalachia, 1 in 4
mining jobs is threatened by these politically-motivated delays in the permitting
process, and 81 small businesses in the region stand to close their doors because of
these delays. Today’s announcement, in conjunction with the permit-processing
backlog, the President’s misguided “Cap and Trade” bill, and EPA’s bizarre
carbon dioxide endangerment policy, amounts to another nail in the coffin for
Appalachian mining. With unemployment hovering at 10% and 20,000 hard-working
Kentuckians relying on this industry for their livelihoods, this White House is
doing nothing short of waging war on coal, putting our nation’s economic and
energy security at risk.”
# posted by Homer Owens @ 7:39 AM 
