Salazar moves to withdraw Bush Administration rule on mountaintop mining

American Rivers applauds effort to protect clean water

April 27, 2009

(Washington) -- Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar’s move today to withdraw a Bush Administration rule that allows more waste from mountaintop mining to be dumped in or near small streams was applauded by American Rivers, the nation’s leading river conservation organization.

The Bush Administration’s rule allowed coal mine operators to dump waste into streambeds if that was found to be the cheapest and most convenient disposal option. This approach buries streams vital for clean water supply, natural flood protection, and fish and wildlife habitat, and hurts communities that depend on these streams. Secretary Salazar directed the United States Department of Justice to file a pleading with the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. requesting that the Bush administration rule be vacated

The President of American Rivers, Rebecca Wodder, made the following statement:

“Small mountain streams are the capillaries of our nation’s circulatory system and are a vital source of clean drinking water. We applaud Secretary Salazar for his commitment to protecting these streams and the communities that depend on them.”

“Water is life, and nothing is more fundamental to the health and well-being of our communities. In an era of climate change, small streams and clean water will need more protection, not less. Today’s announcement by Secretary Salazar is a bold step in a new direction – a step that signals that the Obama Administration understands and will protect the important role that rivers play in the lives of America’s communities.”

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American Rivers is the leading conservation organization fighting for healthy rivers so communities can thrive. American Rivers protects and restores America's rivers for the benefit of people, wildlife and nature. Founded in 1973, American Rivers has more than 65,000 members and supporters, with offices in Washington, DC and nationwide.