[Sen. Jim Inhofe] said the report “confirms my concerns that EPA, through its own actions, is systematically slowing the pace of permit evaluations in Appalachia.”
Greenwire reports,
Many Appalachian coal mine permit reviews have spent years in bureaucratic limbo, in part because of involvement by U.S. EPA headquarters, according to an inspector general report released today…
The inspector general’s office found several reasons for permit review delays, including the complexity of issues and new scientific evidence about the environmental impacts of coal mining. The report also found “involvement by EPA headquarters” to be a reason for permit review lengths. In fact, the report shows more EPA involvement since President Obama took office.