"WASHINGTON -- A new government rule that promises to do more to protect streams near coal mining operations entered a critical stage this week, with coal industry lobbyists and environmentalists already lining up for battle.

A 60-day comment period opened Monday. After that, the Interior Department will review the public’s input, decide whether to amend the rule and then issue a final rule. There is no set timeline for the process, but Daniel Rice, an analyst at the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, the agency that regulates mining, said he anticipated it would get done while President Barack Obama is still in office.

The National Mining Association, a coal industry group, has said it will challenge the rule in court if it is finalized as currently written. On the other side, environmental groups don’t think the rule goes far enough in protecting sensitive habitats."

Phoebe Tollefson reports for Medill News Service July 29, 2015. [2]