The U.S. Government's Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement has outlined in a document how protecting streams from coal mining will affect the industry.
As per the new rules the coal production will get slashed across the states and about 7,000 jobs will be lost. This is a significant percentage of the 80,600 jobs currently being held in the mining sector.
The office which is a branch of the Interior Department has put forth new preferred rules to replace the Bush-era regulations. They impose standards for water quality and restrictions on mining methodology which might influence the quality and quantity of streams located near coal mines. The rules are aimed mainly at the mountain top removal mining in Appalachia.
The proposal will deeply affect mines located in 22 states. The proposal is currently with the states to get feedback before they can release regulations by the end of February. The states are unhappy with the proposal and are letting everyone know it.
Officials from Alabama, Indiana, Kentucky, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming sent in their protest against the proposal in a letter to the director of the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, Joe Pizarchik wherein they called the proposal nonsensical and difficult to follow.