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Agencies Extend Public Comment Period for Draft EIS about Mountaintop Coal Mining

Release Date: 08/22/2003
Contact Information:

John Millett 202-564-7842/millett.john@epa.gov

(08/22/03) Federal and state agencies have extended the comment period for public review of a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) that recommends new actions to protect Appalachian streams from effects associated with mountaintop coal mining. The comment period was to close on Aug. 29. It will now close 130 days later on Jan. 6, 2004. In addition to submitting written comments to John Forren, U.S. EPA (3EA30), 1650 Arch St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19103, comments may also now be e-mailed to EPA at: mountaintop.r3@epa.gov. The agencies involved in preparation of the draft EIS include the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Surface Mining, and West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection. The agencies added the e-mail address for comments and extended the comment period at the request of the public. Information about the draft EIS is available at: http://www.usace.army.mil/inet/functions/cw/hot_topics/29may_envimpact.htm . Additional information is also available from Suzanne Fournier of the Corps of Engineers at 513-684-3010 or Bonnie Smith of EPA at 215-814-5543, Mitch Snow of the Fish and Wildlife Service at 202-208-5634, Mike Gauldin of the Office of Surface Mining at 202-208-2565, or Jessica Greathouse of the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection at 304-558-4253.