National Mining Association (NMA) President and CEO Hal Quinn issued the following statement today in support of a bi-partisan bill that will be introduced in Congress next week by Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment Bob Gibbs (R-Ohio) and Ranking Member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.), which would amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act and limit the EPA’s authority to pre-emptively or retroactively veto Clean Water Act permits:
“The U.S. mining industry applauds Reps. Gibbs and Rahall for introducing this important legislation, which addresses serious concerns about EPA’s regulatory overreach under the Clean Water Act (CWA). This legislation clarifies when the agency has the authority to deny or restrict the use of any defined area as a disposal site under Sec. 404 (c) of the CWA. That clarity is vital for U.S. businesses and investors.
“As it stands, the EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have increasingly expanded federal jurisdiction of our nation’s waters and public and private lands and halted mining projects before they even get off the ground, putting job creation, economic growth and investment in jeopardy. This legislation would put a limit on the EPA’s gross overreach and give mining projects the certainty they need to move forward – stimulating our nation’s economic engine when America needs it the most.
“NMA supports this effort and is pleased to join a vast coalition of industry groups that are concerned about EPA’s actions to shut down investments in the U.S.”
For a full list of coalition members, click here.