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House Voids Obama Rule On Mining Debris
By: Associated Press
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WASHINGTON (AP) – The Republican-controlled House has approved a measure to scuttle an Obama-era regulation that prevents coal mining debris from being dumped into nearby streams.
Republicans say the rule is a job killer and is poorly crafted. The measure was approved 228-194.
House Speaker Paul Ryan said the stream-protection rule ignores dozens of federal, state and local regulations already in place.
The Interior Department said in announcing the rule in December that it would protect 6,000 miles of streams and 52,000 acres of forests, preventing coal mining debris from being dumped into nearby waters.
Interior officials said the rule would cause only modest job losses in coal country and could even create jobs as companies hire construction crews to haul and store debris.
The repeal measure now goes to the Senate.