Rescission of Portions of Permanent Program Performance Standards Related to Siltation Structures

Key Points

• 1The federal government is removing rules that required mining companies to use siltation structures (barriers and ponds designed to trap eroded soil and prevent it from polluting nearby water)
• 2Coal mining companies will no longer have to meet the specific performance standards that previously governed how these erosion-control structures should be built and maintained
• 3This could affect water quality in areas near active or recently closed coal mines, as sediment and soil runoff may increase without these regulatory requirements
• 4States may implement their own rules to fill this gap, but some areas may have weaker protections for water quality and land stability than before
• 5The change takes effect immediately upon publication, removing long-standing environmental safeguards that have been in place to minimize mining's impact on streams and groundwater

Key Dates