Nov 18 Environment House Committee Hears Testimony on Coal Miner Bill A new bill in a House of Representatives committee would block the federal government from changing the surface mine law for the next two years. The Coal Miner Employment Act was the subject of a subcommittee hearing today. The bill, sponsored by Ohio Congressman Bill Johnson, is in response to an expected proposal by the […] By Erica Peterson Nov 18 Environment House Committee Hears Testimony on Coal Miner Bill Erica Peterson
Nov 17 Environment Senate Hears Testimony on Office of Surface Mining, Bureau of Land Management Merger An order beginning the merger of the federal department that regulates surface mining with the Bureau of Land Management is set to take effect in two weeks. The consolidation was the subject of a hearing today before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. The only people at the hearing before the committee who seemed […] By Erica Peterson Nov 17 Environment Senate Hears Testimony on Office of Surface Mining, Bureau of Land Management Merger Erica Peterson
Nov 17 Environment Paul Questions OSM Director on Stream Protection Rule Officials from the Department of the Interior are taking criticism over a proposal to merge the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement with the Bureau of Land Management. Regulators were in a Senate committee hearing today over the issue, but Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky took the opportunity to bring up another topic: stream […] By Erica Peterson Nov 17 Environment Paul Questions OSM Director on Stream Protection Rule Erica Peterson
Jun 13 Environment Supreme Court Declines to Hear Coal Lawsuit Against Federal Government The United States Supreme Court has declined to consider a case that would have changed the fees coal companies pay for their exported coal. Right now, coal companies pay what’s called an “Abandoned Mine Land” fee on each ton of coal. A decade ago, Consol Energy and other companies, including subsidiaries of Massey Energy and […] By Erica Peterson Jun 13 Environment Supreme Court Declines to Hear Coal Lawsuit Against Federal Government Erica Peterson