Coal Jobs vs Clean Water

Who needs clean water anyway...  Does anyone have any idea what the GOP was thinking here?


Fox News Regulation Rollback
CNN Feds Roll Back Stream Protection


From the Fox article:

"Rule to lessen the environmental impact of coal mining on nearby streams

The rule would maintain a buffer zone that blocks coal mining within 100 feet of streams, but imposes stricter exceptions to the 100-foot rule. It also beefs up requirements for monitoring water quality and restoring corridors near streams to protect fish and wildlife.

FOR: Environmental groups and some Appalachian residents say greater protections are needed to preserve healthy drinking water and ensure mining companies don't leave an environmental mess after mining ceases.

AGAINST: Coal mining companies are already facing pricing pressures from greater reliance on natural gas and renewables, and they said the rule would lead to the loss of tens of thousands of direct mining jobs and many thousands more indirectly as massive volumes of coal would become too expensive to mine.

Maybe they truly don't want to keep our water safe...  I am assuming mining and processing coal includes some interesting chemicals.