Mountaintop Removal: "Hobet Deal Cuts Stream Impacts, Preserves Jobs"

"CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Patriot Coal will cut in half the length of streams buried by its Hobet 45 mountaintop-removal mine, but still produce nearly the same amount of coal as the company originally hoped, under a deal announced Tuesday by the Obama administration.

Company officials modified their mining plan under pressure from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which could have blocked Patriot from receiving a Clean Water Act permit for the operation.

The deal protects the jobs of more than 350 employees and avoids what could have been a huge battle with the United Mine Workers union and West Virginia's congressional delegation."

Ken Ward Jr. reports for the Charleston Gazette January 5, 2010.

See Also:

"Hobet 45 Deal: Mountaintop Removal Questions for All" (Coal Tatoo)

"EPA Softens Stance on Mountaintop Coal Mining" (Wall Street Journal)

"EPA, Arch Coal Seek to End Permit Dispute" (ABC News)