Let’s Keep Not-So-Clean Coal From Getting Even Worse
Removing mountaintops and strip mining for coal has already wreaked environmental havoc in Appalachia, so it might sound incredible that things could get even worse. Sadly, they might.
Last Friday, the Bush administration submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) a proposal to severely weaken the stream buffer zone rule. This rule has, since 1983, prevented coal companies from disturbing areas that are 100 feet or less from Appalachian waterways. The EPA now has 30 days to review the proposed change.
