Chamber to testify at EPA hearings

The Kentucky Chamber of Commerce will participate in the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) public hearings, in Frankfort on June 5 and Pikeville on June 7, regarding EPA’s objections to 36 individual permits that would authorize new or expanded surface coal mining activities in eastern Kentucky. These EPA objections have prevented the issuance of all individual Clean Water Act permits for new or expanded surface coal mining activities in eastern Kentucky for more than two years. The economic impact of the EPA objections to Kentucky is staggering: 19 recent EPA objections are estimated to cost Kentucky 3,800 jobs and more than $123,000,000 in coal severance taxes. The hearings will provide interested parties an opportunity to comment on the EPA objections. Upon conclusion of the hearings, EPA can confirm, modify or withdraw its objections, and the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet will be afforded an opportunity to revise the permits to conform to EPA’s final decision.