Big Win for Appalachia: Streamlined “NWP 21” Officially Suspended!
Jun 18th, 2010 by admin
The US Army Corps of Engineers has decided to suspend the “streamlined” Nationwide Permit 21 in Appalachia.
According to statements made by Meg Gaffney-Smith, Chief of the Army Corps of Engineers Regulatory Program:
“Under the surface coal mining MOU, we identified concerns with surface coal mines specifically related to mountaintop removal…within those states.”
“Over the past several years, we have had enough new information, much of it complied by the Corps and other interested parties, that indicated that there may be concerns with this particular type of mining technique, impacts to aquatic resources and water quality, and how well stream mitigation projects were performing….we believed it was best to suspend NW permit 21 in this region.”
This is an enormous victory for coalfield citizens who have worked for years and years to end the abusive nationwide permitting process. Companies seeking to do fills will now need to use the more stringent individual permitting process, which allows for greater public input.
iLoveMountains.org has more about the lead up to this decision here, here, and here. As always, Ken Ward has more over at Coal Tattoo.
