Kentucky.gov

FRANKFORT, Ky.—“Today, I have directed officials with my Energy Cabinet to seek clarification from the Environmental Protection Agency about the 404 permit process. For some time, there has been a lengthy backlog of 404 permits awaiting action from the Army Corps of Engineers as a result of litigation and bureaucratic red tape. Those permits should be reviewed in a timely manner, regardless of the outcome of any one application for mining. Our goal in Kentucky is to continue the responsible mining of coal in a way that protects safety and the environment, while also preserving and creating jobs in a region desperately in need of them. But those goals can only be achieved by having a permitting process that works in a transparent and expeditious manner.”

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