Associated Press Published

Hearing on Stream Protection to be Held in Charleston

streams

Federal regulators are holding a public hearing in Charleston on a proposed stream protection rule.

The U.S. Office of Surface Mining and Reclamation’s hearing on the rule will take place Thursday evening at the Charleston Civic Center. The agency says the proposed rule overhauls a set of regulations that are three decades old.

Under the proposal, coal companies would be required to avoid mining practices that destroy drinking water sources, permanently pollute streams, threaten forests and increase flood risk.

Companies also would be required to restore streams and return mined areas to their previous uses and form.

The agency already held similar hearings in Denver, Pittsburgh and St. Louis.