One of the final acts of the Obama administration and the U.S. Department of the Interior in the last days of Obama’s presidency was to finalise a rule that will protect 9,656 kilometres of streams and 83,685 kilometres of forests over the next 2 decades by forcing coal companies to avoid mining in areas that permanently pollute streams, destroy drinking water sources and threaten forests.
The controversial Stream Protection rule replaces regulations that were instituted 33 years ago, and essentially requires of mining companies that they restore the land to the same condition it was in before mining began; they are also tasked to test nearby streams for pollution before, during and after drilling.
According to Joseph Pizarchik, director of the Department of Interior’s Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, which crafted the rule, the rule is designed to make coalfield communities more resilient.
The final regulatory impact analysis (RIA) for this rule details benefits to streams and forests between 2020 and 2040 will include:
Avoidance by mining operations of eight acres of forest per year;
- Four miles of intermittent and perennial streams per year not being covered by excess spoil fills or coal mine waste facilities;
- Improved reforestation of 2,486 acres of mined land per year;
- Improved water quality in 263 miles of intermittent and perennial streams per year downstream of mine-sites; and
- Restoration of 22 miles of intermittent and perennial streams per year.
Implementation of this rule will result in reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from coal production that is estimated to be in the region of 2.6 million short tons in 2020. Projections are that implementation of the final rule will result in the annualised benefit of $57 million due to the reduced carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel consumption across the timeframe of the analysis (2020—2040).
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