Conservation Groups Petition EPA Over Air-Pollution Permit for West Elk Mine

[svjiminfxv]

Most conservation groups, including the Centre for Biological Diversity and WildEarth Guardians, have put up a petition for the EPA regarding an air-pollution permit for the West ELK Mine up in the North Fork Valley. They have argued that if they have a permit, they will lack sufficient measures to comply with the Clean Air Act. They say this will cause citing deficiencies such as the absence of operational limits for the volatile organic compound emissions and the insufficient monitoring requirements.

This permit will allow VOC emissions up to 465 tons annually. The groups have deemed that this is excessive.

The EPA have 60 days to respond to the petition. If the objections are raised, the state will need to revise the permit to enforce a more strict pollution control.

All of this highlights the ongoing conflict between environmental protection and industrial activities. The main sector is coal mining with substantial environmental impacts.

You can read more about this here https://www.gjsentinel.com/news/gro...cle_7eb6a3b2-c08c-11ee-9276-a3c142dcc7bc.html

 

[Winny]

That is a lot of pollution and waste going up into our atmosphere. I am 100% for more strict control on this, so that they aren't putting off too much waste either. 465 tons annually has to build up over time, it can't be good for our environment.

 

[Jake]

When you're putting off that much pollution, I think it's find to reassess the situation, and put out a streamlined plan that addresses these issues and hopefully finds a solution that both sides are happy with. I think they should be forced to file permits that enforce strict pollution control. This is our planet we're talking about, this waste still isn't good for our atmosphere, so I think it's well within our rights to request some changes or more safe guards are put in place.

 

[Nomad]

Most of the time I feel that government and government agencies only favor businesses, that's why they allow businesses get away with a lot of things. Permit for the West ELK Mine is just one example. How can EPA allow VOC emissions up to 465 tons annually, when various research have already proved that this is excessive.