Brian Willis, 202.675.2386, Brian.Willis@sierraclub.org
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Congress used the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to scrap the Stream Protection Rule (SPR) today, putting the health of thousands of Americans living near coal mining sites at serious risk.
The Stream Protection Rule sought to tackle the decades-old practice of coal companies dumping tons of dangerous mining waste from their mining operations into nearby waterways that were frequently used for drinking, farming, and fishing by local communities. This practice contaminates local water with dangerous heavy metals like mercury, selenium, and arsenic, which can cause severe mental development problems and stunted cognitive growth in children exposed to these toxins.
Congress directed the Office of Surface Mining to issue the standards found in SPR to address these health risks. SPR was the product of more than eight years of work, incorporating input from a wide range of industry, state, community and environmental stakeholders. After receiving more than 100,000 public comments, the Obama Administration finalized the rule late last year, which many considered a long overdue step toward guaranteeing that every community in America has the right to clean water, not matter the wealth or political muscle of the polluters.
Today Congress dismissed the overwhelming number of comments from citizens directly impacted and instead bent to the will of corporations who stand against it. SPR was the first major clean water protection addressing these dumping issues in 30 years.
In response, Michael Brune, Executive Director of the Sierra Club, released the following statement:
“This is a disgraceful opening salvo from this Congress, as they begin to try and do the bidding of big polluters and dismantle critical air and water safeguards. Scrapping the Stream Protection Rule is indefensible, especially when you consider the real costs to the health of communities and families living near coal mines. Surface coal mining waste dumped into waterways is a clear and present danger to thousands upon thousands of Americans, and the important safeguard that Congress is attacking acts to prevent those threats. This is a direct assault on the health of the very people Congress should be acting to protect from dangerous pollution.
“This extreme move demonstrates that this Congress and Administration believe that -- despite mountains of evidence that mining harms communities -- coal companies should not be held accountable for the damage they do.”
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About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 2.4 million members and supporters nationwide. In addition to creating opportunities for people of all ages, levels and locations to have meaningful outdoor experiences, the Sierra Club works to safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and litigation. For more information, visit http://www.sierraclub.org.