In response to the EPA’s crackdown on the worst impacts of mountaintop removal, the coal industry is promoting a Virginia bill designed to prevent effective enforcement of the law. Your state senator sits on the committee reviewing this bill at 9:00 am on Monday. Please take the time to ask them to oppose SB 1025. They need to hear from you today!
This bill would actually restrict state officials’ authority to even consider testing or water quality monitoring to determine whether pollution from a mountaintop removal mine was causing water quality violations. And if those charged with enforcing the law aren’t testing for pollution, chances are they won’t find it.
As if this weren’t enough, this bill would repeal the Water Control Board’s authority over water pollution discharge permitting and enforcement, taking this responsibility away from the citizens on this board and giving unchecked authority to the director of the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy.
More than 60 Virginia mountains and at least 150 miles of Virginia streams have been destroyed by mountaintop removal. Please click here to contact your state senator now to let them know you oppose this bill designed to let the destruction continue.
Thank you for your support,
Chelsea Harnish
Virginia Policy Coordinator, Chesapeake Climate Action Network
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