McKinley: SPR is an Outrageous Attack by a Lame Duck Administration

Washington, D.C. – Congressman McKinley released the following statement, after the Obama Administration moved to finalize the SPR, an overreaching regulation that further limits and restricts coal mining.

“This action is outrageous.  The SPR is yet another attack on the coal industry and this Administration’s final shot in the War on Coal before President Obama leaves office.  It is clear that this Administration was not paying attention in November.  This rule is nothing but an insult to the working men and women of this country because it’s economic impact will be massive,” McKinley said.

“The implementation of this rule would result in a decrease of up to 85% in coal reserves, threatening the livelihoods of 80,000 coal miners and their families.  Fortunately, this regulation will be promptly overturned.  After meeting with House Leadership and members of the incoming Trump Administration, I am confident that Congress and the President-elect will block this regulation, before it can cause more harm to the hard working families of the coal industry,” said McKinley.  

Background

On July 27, 2015, the Department of the Interior’s (DOI) Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) proposed the Stream Protection Rule (SPR).  Coal industry leaders called this rule the single greatest threat to the jobs and family livelihoods of their employees.  

Stopping this rule has been the Congressional Coal Caucus’s number one priority and as Chairman, Congressman McKinley has been leading the fight. Over the past year and a half the Congressman has led meetings with House Leadership, state regulatory agencies, and the Obama Administration in an attempt to stop, delay the publication of the final rule.