Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (R—NY) released the following statement regarding her vote Feb. 1 in support of H.J. Res 38, disapproving the rule submitted by the Department of Interior (DOI) known as the Stream Protection Rule:
“The Stream Protection Rule, introduced during the Obama Administration, attempted to alter the already existing regulations under the Stream Buffer Zone rule. However, due to the of lack of transparency in the 7-year rewrite, which cost taxpayers nearly $10 million, the rule ended up being duplicative and a one-size fits all approach. The process also failed to involve input from states, who regulate 97% of coal mines. Reports issued by the DOI confirm that nearly all coal mines operate under safe conditions, have no off-site impacts and are being restored responsibly and successfully.
It is imperative that Congress is involved in the issuing of new regulations, as bureaucrats in federal agencies often fail to consider how these actions will affect the average American. The Stream Protection rule would cause the loss of a third of all coal mining jobs throughout the United States and reduce coal production in 22 states, leading to increased energy costs and a large burden on hardworking Americans.”