McKinley's Bill to Protect Jobs Moves Forward

Statement

Today, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee voted in favor of bipartisan legislation (H.R. 524) from Rep. David McKinley (R-WV) that would limit the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) veto power over the Army Corps of Engineers permits for coal mines. The bill now moves to the House floor where it's expected to be voted on in the coming months.

"When the EPA revoked a permit that was issued to the Spruce Mine in southern West Virginia years after it was issued, it sent a chilling signal to job creators all across the country," said Rep. McKinley. "If the EPA is allowed to retroactively revoke permits, hundreds of thousands of jobs hang in the balance because it creates uncertainty for all industries from construction to manufacturing," added McKinley.

"What bank would loan money to a project knowing the EPA could pull the plug on a whim? This has to stop."

"Today's vote was another step in the right direction to rein in the EPA and their job-destroying policies," added McKinley. "The passage of this bill moves us closer to stopping the EPA and its ideologically-driven agenda that is hurting families in West Virginia."

Background: In January of 2011, the Obama Administration's EPA took the unprecedented step of retroactively revoking a coal mining permit to the Spruce Mine after it had already been issued and approved following a ten year environmental review process.

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