We have an emergency on the horizon and your participation is IMPERATIVE!
The US Army Corps of Engineers is holding six public hearings October 13 and 15 to receive public comments on the two proposals related to Nationwide Permit 21 in the nation’s Appalachian Region. NWP 21 authorizes discharges of dredged or fill material into waters of the United States for surface coal mining activities.
The effort is underway to apply regulations that will allow the regulation of water from the head of the watershed.
The first proposal is to modify NWP 21 to prohibit its use in the Appalachian region. In the absence of NWP 21, an applicant would be required to obtain an individual permit for surface coal mining projects. An individual permit includes increased public and agency involvement in the permit review process, including an opportunity for public comment on individual projects.
The second proposal is to suspend NWP 21 while the Corps evaluates the comments received on the proposed modification of NWP 21, and reaches its decision. The decision on whether to suspend NWP 21 will be made after the public hearings are held and the comments received on the proposed suspension have been considered.
If NWP 21 is suspended during this interim period, an applicant would be required to obtain an individual permit for surface coal mining projects.
It appears that others agencies will become part of the new permit proposal process – EPA, Fish & Wildlife, Office of Water, Office of Clean Air, and more Public Participation.
OCTOBER 13
Charleston, WV
Pikeville, KY
Knoxville, TN
OCTOBER 15
Pittsburgh, PA
Cambridge, OH
Big Stone Gap, VA
All the hearings begin at 7 o’clock p.m. For more information on hearings in WV,PA,KY, AND OH click:
http://www.usace.army.mil/CEPA/News/Pages/090910Permit21.aspx
We must join together educating and informing our people as to the devastating impact this will have on the people living in the Appalachian Region and/or particularly southern West Virginia, eastern Kentucky, and southwest Virginia.
We need to have a strong presence at all the hearings and will notify as many people as possible. The Coal Council will organize and work with others to get people to the Virginia and Tennessee hearings. The WV Coal Association will be able to get a crowd to the Charleston, WV hearing – the PA Coal Association will be able to get a crowd for the Pennsylvania hearing – the KY Coal Association and other KY coal groups will be able to get a crowd to the Pikeville hearing – and the OH Coal Association will be able to get a crowd to the Ohio hearing.
Can we count on you and your company to attend these important hearings? The time is now to take action! If something is not done to stop the NWP 21 change, it will devastate the entire coal industry and the economies of Kentucky and other coal-producing states.
Please send this message to your family, friends and business colleagues and ask them to support our efforts.
We must join together educating and informing our people as to the devastating impact this will have on the people living in the Appalachian Region and/or particularly southern West Virginia, eastern Kentucky, and southwest Virginia.
We need to have a strong presence at all the hearings and will notify as many people as possible. The Coal Council will organize and work with others to get people to the Virginia and Tennessee hearings. The WV Coal Association will be able to get a crowd to the Charleston, WV hearing – the PA Coal Association will be able to get a crowd for the Pennsylvania hearing – the KY Coal Association and other KY coal groups will be able to get a crowd to the Pikeville hearing – and the OH Coal Association will be able to get a crowd to the Ohio hearing.
Can we count on you and your company to attend these important hearings? The time is now to take action! If something is not done to stop the NWP 21 change, it will devastate the entire coal industry and the economies of Kentucky and other coal-producing states.
Please send this message to your family, friends and business colleagues and ask them to support our efforts.
Help us get the message out that we need to keep Nationwide Permit 21 as is.
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