EPA Puts Hold on Permits for Kentucky and W. Virginia Mountain Top Mining Operations
April 13, 2009 Kyriaki (Sandy) Venetis 
A baby holds a protest sign at a rally on the state capitol grounds in Charleston, W. Va to tell Governor Joe Manchin to end mountaintop removal. The photo is courtesy of Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition, Huntington, West Virginia, and taken by Jesse Mwaura.
WASHINGTON, D.C.- Concerns over potential irreparable harm to West Virginia and Kentucky ecosystems from mining proposals by Highland Mining Co., Morganfield, Ky., and Central Appalachia Mining LLC, Freeburn, Ky. has caused the United States Environmental Protection Agency to postpone giving the companies permits to proceed pending further discussing and proposal modifications. Permit applications for such projects are required by the Clean Water Act.
Two EPA senior officials sent letters to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers stating that the coal mines would likely cause:
- Water quality problems in the streams below the mines.
- Significant degradation to streams buried by mining activities.
In addition, the letters expressed concerns that the proposed steps to offset these impacts are inadequate. More specifically, with regards to Highland Mining, John R. Pomponio, director of the EPA’s Environmental Assessment and Innovation Division, said in his letter to Colonel Dana R. Hurst, that “the permit, if issued, will eliminate or impact 13,174 linear feet of headwater streams” near the town of Ethel, Logan County, West Virginia.