Communities throughout America — and especially in the Appalachian region — suffer daily from contaminated drinking water, increased flooding, and a decimated landscape resulting from the damage and destruction wreaked on thousands of miles of streams by coal mining.
The Department of Interior and Office of Surface Mining have proposed a new Stream Protection Rule to hold polluters accountable for mining pollution — and the polluters couldn't be angrier.
Interior Secretary Sally Jewell needs to hear from you before the polluters and their noise machine go into overdrive. Submit your comment now!
Dear Interior Secretary Jewell,
Along with all 2.4 million Sierra Club members and supporters, I am asking that the Department of Interior and Office of Surface Mining finalize a strong Stream Protection Rule to protect our waterways and communities from mining pollution.
Thank you for proposing this long awaited rule. Many of the communities living near mining sites cannot rely on their elected or local officials to stand up against Big Coal. They have looked to you and the rest of this Administration to help their communities where their state officials fail them.
While the proposed Stream Protection Rule does make some strides in holding Big Coal accountable for their pollution, I think the rule could be strengthened to ensure citizens across the nation do not have to suffer from living in the shadows of mining sites.
Since citizens are not able to rely on their local and state officials to stand up for them against Big Coal, they must have the tools to do it themselves. While this proposed rule takes a step in holding mining companies accountable, it also must clarify in its final rule that the law allows citizens to enforce water quality standards.
The proposed Stream Protection Rule has a lot of potential to help communities around the country fight for the health and safety of their water. Please strengthen and finalize this rule before the end of the Administration.
[Your comment will go here]
Sincerely,
[Your name]
