This is my first post as director of the Sierra Club's Beyond Coal Campaign, and I'm focusing on mountaintop removal because I've lived in Appalachia for most of my life.
My new baby daughter is an 11th generation West Virginian, and I often wonder how many mountains will be left standing in the Mountain State by the time she has a family of her own. For too long, mining companies have enjoyed loopholes and rubber-stamped permits that have allowed them to flatten over 500 mountains across Appalachia.
Earlier this year, though, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued new guidance aimed at consistently protecting Americans from the pollution caused by mountaintop removal coal mining. I welcome these common-sense protections by EPA.
Time is running out to weigh in with your support, so please act today.
EPA's new guidance is aimed at finally closing one of these loopholes and addressing the water pollution caused by mountaintop removal. Given the scale of mountaintop removal's destruction and the large number of pending mining permits, this policy must remain in effect. We cannot allow Big Coal to throw its weight and money around so it can continue harming human health, polluting the water, and devastating our mountain heritage, just to increase its bottom line.
EPA took a stand here - Administrator Lisa Jackson deserves credit for recognizing that the Clean Water Act does not permit the massive, cumulative effects that result from mountaintop removal coal mining.
That's why we're calling on EPA to strengthen and finalize the guidance and make sure that its regional offices and other federal and state agencies adhere to the policy and don't issue permits that are contrary to the guidance.
As you might expect, mining companies are doing everything they can to scrap this guidance and return to business as usual. Appalachia cannot afford to continue allowing mining companies to bury our streams and pollute entire watersheds. We only have until December 1st to tell EPA to stay strong in this guidance - please submit your comment now.
In future posts, I'll be writing about coal-related issues including mountaintop removal, as well as upcoming opportunities for EPA to protect Americans from pollution, including:
--Long-overdue limits on mercury and other toxic pollution from both coal-fired power plants and other types of industrial boilers
--Stronger smog protections, which are key to reducing the heart attacks, asthma attacks, and other health problems caused by coal pollution each year
--Efforts to set greenhouse gas limits for coal-fired power plants, our single biggest source of global warming pollution
Here in the twenty-first century, in the most prosperous, innovative country on the planet, we should be able to turn on the lights without having to sacrifice our health, clean air and water, or the heritage of another generation of Appalachian children. I look forward to joining with you to move our nation toward that clean energy future.