CHARLESTON, W.Va., May 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee released a report outlining the adverse economic and employment impacts of the EPA's inability to approve or set discernable standards for the approval of coal mining permits in Appalachia. The states that will be economically hardest hit by this virtual moratorium on permitting are West Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and Alabama. The minority staff report was released by Senator Jim Inhofe (R-OK), who is the ranking member of the Committee.

"The EPA is making clear its intentions to destroy jobs and economic security in West Virginia and throughout Appalachia," said Bryan Brown, state coordinator of West Virginia FACES of Coal. "The Senate report acknowledges the job destruction and economic peril EPA's actions are having on this region. We urge our elected leaders in Washington to continue their efforts to secure coal jobs and our economic future."

The Senate investigation report states the "Obama Administration is using the Clean Water Act Section 404 permitting process to dismantle the coal industry in the Appalachian region.

"After a thorough investigation of the 235 coal mining 404 Permits that were under review by EPA as of May 11, 2009, we found that their obstruction is having a deleterious effect on rural jobs, energy production and small businesses in Appalachia. Our investigation, which included gathering information from EPA as well as conducting detailed interviews with permit applicants, found that the 190 coal mining operations tied up at EPA are expected to produce over 2 billion tons of coal (throughout the life of operations) and support roughly 17,806 new and existing jobs as well as 81 small businesses."

Brown continued, "In this region, coal mining jobs are some of the best paying jobs available. These jobs are critical to the survival of small businesses, and they support other industries and jobs across the state. The report also verifies that EPA's actions will cost the state of West Virginia $217 million annually in tax revenue. That is a state budget nightmare."

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 FACES of Coal