EPA Issues Final Guidance to Protect Water Quality from Surface Coal Mining

摘要

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released final guidance on Appalachian surface coal mining, designec to ensure more consistent, effective, am timely review of surface coal mining permits under the Clean Water Act and other statutes. The guidance, which replaces the interim-final guidance issued by the EPA on April 1, 2010, is based on the best available science and incorporates inpui and feedback from more than 60,000 comments received from the public and key stakeholders. By providing the EPA's regional offices with the latest information on existing legal requirements, the guidance enables them to work together with states, the U.S.