Forty-nine of those permits are in Kentucky, and the EPA’s refusal to sign off on those applications is a detriment to the coal industry in the region, said Haven King with Coal Mining Our Future, who added that he believes the federal agency is attempting to shut down the practice of surface mining.
“It’s the best way to stop coal mining. If you can’t get no permits, you can’t work,” said King.
King said he believes the EPA hold up, the third such action by his count, is actually unconstitutional.
“Where’s our rights?” he asked. “This is their way of shutting coal mining down.”
King said many of the permits currently on hold are not applications seeking to open new mines, but actually to amend current approved permits that would allow existing mines to expand. He added that once companies come to the end of their existing permit, without the approval of an amendment that operation will close.
“A lot of these are amendments to permits that are already active, and if you can’t get an amendment to add something to it, when you get to the end you shut down. They’re smart enough to know that,” he continued.
King said it is important for not only coal insiders but also industry supporters to attend an upcoming meeting on October 13 at the Eastern Kentucky Expo Center in Pikeville next week that will evaluate public response to two proposals to either ban the Nationwide Permit (NWP) 21 in Appalachia or suspend it until a decision based on public comments can be reached on NWP. According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which will be hosting the meeting, NWP “allows discharges of dredged or fill material into waters of the United States for surface coal mining activities.” If NWP is suspended in the Appalachian region, companies seeking new mine sites will have to apply for individual permits, which would include increased governmental scrutiny.
“If you’re interested in your job, you should take the time to be in Pikeville before 7 o’ clock at the Expo,” King said, adding that he believes the coal miners won’t be the only people to lose their jobs if surface mining is abolished and the industry collapses. He cited local businesses ranging from gas stations to doctors’ offices that would be hurt or be forced to close entirely due to a lack of business if coal mining were to cease in the region.
“You just let them go ahead and shut the coal down and there’s not going to be any use for those places. Most of them will have to shut down.,” he said.
“If people don’t show up, then the Corps is going to say well, there’s just no interest and nobody’s worried about it,” King continued. “People need to be worried about it.”
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