Tagged: coal

A western Kentucky county has approved changes that will allow a new coal mine to be opened, but there are some restrictions once mining begins.

The Daviess County Fiscal court voted unanimously last night to uphold the rezoning of nearly 700 acres in the southern end of the county. But county officials also placed some limits on what type of equipment could be used at the mine and when the mine could operate.

Kentucky environmental attorney Tom FitzGerald has turned down an award from the federal Office of Surface Mining.

FitzGerald--also the head of the Kentucky Resources Council--was to be the first-ever recipient of the ECHO Award, named for the agency's stated principles of Environment, Community, Humanity, and Ownership. The award was given out yesterday in recognition of the 35th anniversary of the passage of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act, or SMCRA.

Kentucky politicians have been lining up to praise a judge’s decision earlier this week to overturn the new way the Environmental Protection Agency has been eval

The coal industry and officials from numerous states, including Kentucky, claimed victory yesterday after a federal judge ruled the Environmental Protection Agency’s new guidance on water pollution near surface mines overstepped the agency’s authority. But the judge’s decision still doesn’t add certainty to the industry’s permitting process.

A new study compares the taxes Kentucky and neighboring states levy on natural resources, and recommends Kentucky set up a severance trust fund.