President Donald Trump has removed regulations involving the method coal mining companies dispose of debris. Trump called the regulation a “job-killing rule” before he signed a measure to overturn it. Lawmakers from coal-mining states stood close by, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va. and Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va.
Several coal miners and energy company executives also attended the White House signing ceremony. Republicans and some Democrats argued that the rule could eliminate thousands of coal-related jobs.
The Interior Department said in December when it announced the rule that 6,000 miles of streams and 52,000 acres of forests would be protected.
While the details of such environmental damage remain unclear, it has been reported:
“The Natural Resources Defense Council says mountain-top removal mining, in which ground is blasted to access coal seams below, has been responsible for the destruction of 2,000 miles of streams in Appalachia.”
Trump is following through on his promise to eliminate two federal regulations for every new one enacted.
The order stipulates:
“Unless prohibited by law, whenever an executive department or agency (agency) publicly proposes for notice and comment or otherwise promulgates a new regulation, it shall identify at least two existing regulations to be repealed.”
Trump wants to eliminate “a little more than 75 percent” of the regulations now on the books. And explained that “We don’t need 97 different rules to take care of one element.”
source: http://www.npr.org/2017/01/30/512445032/trump-acts-to-roll-back-regulations-on-businesses
While coal mining is one sector clearly set to benefit from a Trump Presidency, we are standing by to learn about more changes to the tax system Trump has planned for the near future.
