Federal Judge Strikes Down Bush-Era Rule That Allowed Dumping in Streams
From Ring of Fire:
On Thursday, a DC federal judge struck down a controversial rule that decreased protections for waterways near mountaintop removal mining operations. The 2008 stream buffer zone rule, which removed protections for waterways, was issued during the final weeks of the Bush administration, Law360 reports.
US District Judge Barbara J. Rothstein found that the federal government violated the Endangered Species Act by ignoring evidence that the stream buffer zone rule threatened critical habitats. The National Parks Conservation Association and other conservation groups reopened the litigation against the Interior Department in January, accusing the government of failing to fulfill an out-of-court settlement to address the Bush-era rule.
Earthjustice attorney Neil Gormley, who represents the conservation groups, said the judge’s decision will provide water protections for states like West Virginia, where a recent chemical spill polluted the water supply of 300,000 residents, placing 9 counties in a state of emergency.
You can read the full article here at Ring of Fire.
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