Sierra Club, along with several other environmentally-focused organizations, have petitioned courts in Kentucky and West Virginia in an attempt to revoke the Clean Water Act authority that is currently held by both states.  In a press release from Sierra Club, the following was stated:

 “There is no excuse for EPA not taking action long before now to safeguard our communities,” said Mary Love from Kentuckians For The Commonwealth. “Since we filed our original petition, the Beshear administration has admitted publicly several times that Kentucky does not have the capacity to enforce the Clean Water Act. In fact, the governor has proposed and the legislature has repeatedly cut the budget for the enforcement of environmental laws, making it impossible for the state to enforce the law.  We see the consequences of these failures as people continue to get sick, our streams get more polluted and companies like Frasure Creek Mining blatantly flout the law. The people and communities of Kentucky and West Virginia deserve better than the legacy left us by uncontrolled, runaway coal mining: a broken economy and a polluted environment.”

ky mountain

There is no timeline as to when a decision will be made.  However, check back here for more updates.