Paul, McConnell, Inhofe Support Giving EPA Time Limit on Mining Permits

by Dalton MainSenators Rand Paul and Mitch McConnell are supporting legislation to try and force the Environmental Protection Agency to make faster decisions on permits. The legislation would also prevent the EPA from changing its decision and retroactively vetoing certain permits.Paul, McConnell and Okalahoma Senator James Inhofe say that the agency's delays in approving permits is akin to shutting down mining operations, specifically mountaintop removal projects. The legislation would give the agency a maximum of two months to decide whether mining permit requests will take effect.The EPA recently vetoed a mountaintop removal project in West Virginia.