[rogernickson]

In the midst of a review of pending mountaintop mining permit applications, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has singled out Arch Coal Inc.’s already permitted Spruce Fork No. 1 Surface Mine for additional review.“The Spruce No. 1 permit is the only permit already issued that EPA has requested be re-evaluated by the (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) based on new information,” wrote EPA spokeswoman Enesta Jones in response to e-mailed questions.

EPA Region 3 Acting Administrator William C. Early asked the Corps’ Huntington District office in a letter dated Sept. 3 to “suspend, revoke, or modify the permit issued authorizing (Arch Coal’s) Mingo Logan Coal Co. to discharge dredged and/or fill material into the waters of the United States” while operating the Spruce Fork mine.The permit, issued in January 2007 after a lengthy multi-agency process, is said to be the only surface mining operation for which an Environmental Impact Statement has been prepared.