EPA Drafts Rules on Mine Dumping in Waterways

Danielle Jackson

Washington, D.C. -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has drafted rules that would let mining companies dump waste from mountaintop mining operations into rivers and streams, according to a Washington Post report.

The proposed rules are aimed at lifting regulations prohibiting mining companies from disposing of material considered waste, including rock and dirt, into nearby waterways. Many environmentalists argue that this would undermine their efforts to fight unacceptable damage to such rivers and streams.