Washington, D.C. — Today, Rep. Mike Bost (IL-12) voted to delay the implementation of new stream buffer zones around mining operations by the Office of Surface Mining and Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE).  Rep. Bost previously cosponsored the legislation to ensure transparency in the rule making process and protect the coal industry and hundreds of Southern Illinois jobs from crushing overregulation.

“More overly burdensome rules and regulations by the Obama Administration would wipe out hundreds of jobs in Southern Illinois and hundreds of thousands nationwide,” said Rep. Bost.  “The impact of such a serious hit to the coal industry would increase home energy prices for hardworking families already struggling to get ahead.  That’s why I voted to turn back yet another Washington-based mandate that would hurt our economy.”

The Supporting Transparent Regulatory and Environmental Actions in Mining Act (H.R. 1644)  also prevents OSMRE from seizing duplicative regulatory jurisdiction from other agencies, namely the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which already has similar regulatory authority under the Clean Water Act.