CHARLESTON, W.Va., April 2 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Thursday mandated a totally new and virtually unattainable water quality standard for all coal mining permits across Appalachia in a move that threatens thousands of jobs and the economic future of mining communities.  The announcement comes days after the EPA began the veto process for an already approved permit for the  Spruce No.1 mine in Logan County, WV. The EPA has only used this veto authority 12 times since 1972, and has never used its authority to veto an existing permit. 

"Thursday's EPA policy and guidelines announcement is as  dangerous and threatening an action as this region has ever seen. Imposing  sweeping restrictions on coal mining in only six states without any opportunity  for comment or review prior to implementation is an alarming example of  bureaucratic discrimination and abuse," said Bryan Brown, state coordinator for  the FACES of Coal campaign. "This action by the EPA sets standards that most underground mines can't achieve and will have a devastating impact on the  Appalachian regions of West Virginia, Kentucky, Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania and  Tennessee."

Brown Continued, "A host of other job critical  industries and activities also can't meet the new water standard - including highway construction, housing developments, industrial parks, sewage treatment facilities and electrical generating plants.   At what point will the EPA  take aim at those jobs? This is not the way to create jobs -- it's how you destroy  them."

The  FACES of Coal is an organization that will be imploring its 60,000 members to  make sure their representatives and leaders throughout the country don't let  this misguided and dangerous action stand.

The Federation for American Coal, Energy and  Security (FACES of Coal) is an alliance of more than 60,000 people from all  walks of life who are joining forces to educate lawmakers and the general public  about the importance of coal and coal mining to our local and national economies  and to our nation's energy security.  In addition to keeping tens of  thousands of people employed in good-paying jobs, coal is the lifeblood of our  domestic energy supply, generating nearly half the electricity consumed in the  United  States today.

SOURCE The Federation for American Coal, Energy and Security (FACES of Coal)