Coal companies complain to Kasich about Ohio EPA pollution limitsSep 12 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - Spencer Hunt The Columbus Dispatch, OhioOhio coal company officials repeatedly complained about new water pollution limits to Gov. John Kasich, whose staff carried those complaints to the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. Documents obtained by The Dispatch reveal a still-unresolved dispute between coal companies and the Ohio EPA over new limits set in pending water pollution permits. "The Ohio EPA has completely sabotaged our permit," wrote Robert Moore, Murray Energy's Chief Operating Officer in a July 4 email to Craig Butler, Kasich's assistant policy director for environment, energy and agriculture. "This is unacceptable, and we will not tolerate the continued interference by the OEPA staff and director. We intend to move forward with litigation." The email was one of many sent back and forth between coal companies the Ohio EPA and the governor's office dating back to 2012. Records show Butler and other Kasich officials routinely demanded answers from the Ohio EPA over permit problems and that they set up meetings with coal officials to solve them. The Ohio EPA answered that the U.S. EPA required the stricter limits. The issue first came to lightwhen the Ohio EPA's top water quality watchdog, George Elmaraghy, sent an email to his staff in which he said Kasich and Ohio EPA director Scott Nally had asked him to resign. He wrote about "considerable pressure" from coal companies for permits "that may have a negative impact on Ohio streams and wetlands and violate state and federal laws." Since Kasich began his gubernatorial campaign in 2009, Ohio coal interests have donated a total of nearly $1 million to statewide and legislative candidates, a Dispatch analysis of secretary-of-state data found. Nally and Kasich's office have yet to comment on Elmaraghy. @CDEnvironment http://www.energycentral.com/functional/news/news_detail.cfm?did=29959252 |