Beyer Introduces Legislation to Protect Streams and Lands Impacted by Mining

Rep. Don Beyer today introduced the Stream Protection and Vegetation Restoration Act to strengthen key environmental protections for streams and lands impacted by mining. The bill is inspired by the U.S. Department of the Interior's Stream Protection Rule issued under the Obama administration.

"Reducing the detrimental effects of toxic mining disposal into vital water sources, including the pollution of streams and drinking water sources, is commonsense," said Rep. Don Beyer. "The provisions included in my bill to safeguard our waters and lands from toxic waste are necessary to protect vital and fragile ecosystems, as well as the health and livelihood of nearby citizens and communities who depend on clean water."

"Unreclaimed, inactive coal mines across Appalachia are causing water pollution and putting communities at risk of landslides and other safety hazards," said Chelsea Barnes, Director of Government Affairs and Strategy at Appalachian Voices. "It's time for a national standard to ensure that modern coal mines are cleaned up in a timely manner, instead of sitting idle for years on end. We applaud Rep. Beyer for his leadership to ensure that coal companies clean up their messes and that land and water in coal communities is restored properly."

The Stream Protection and Vegetation Restoration Act would require timely reclamation by setting enforceable deadlines for reclamation milestones, and improve inspections and monitoring protocols for surface water and ground water during mining and reclamation.

Text of the Stream Protection and Vegetation Restoration Act is available here.