TIM HUBER
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says it's going to hold up 79 applications for surface coal mine permits in four states for additional scrutiny.
The agency confirmed the action Wednesday, telling The Associated Press the mines in West Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio and Tennessee will likely cause significant harm to water quality. All 79 permits were on a preliminary list released Sept. 11.
The EPA says it now must work with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which issues the permits, and applicants to reduce water quality damage.
The action is the latest attempt by the EPA to rein in mountaintop removal mining in Appalachia. The highly efficient practice involves blasting away mountains to access multiple coal seams.
