The office failed to respond to Murray Energy’s Freedom of Information Act request regarding its Stream Protection Rule, Murray Energy CEO Robert E. Murray said.
This FOIA request, which was filed on September 4, 2015, requested key information to assist Murray Energy in drafting its written comments regarding the Rule. Despite repeated requests, DOI and OSMRE have completely ignored Murray Energy’s filing, in violation of Federal law, Murray said.
“This Rule bans underground coal mining by the longwall and other methods beneath dry ditches on the surface. In doing so, the Obama Administration, its radical bureaucrats and Democrat supporters, have, with this rule, yet again, acted illegally, and with the deliberant intent to destroy our nation’s underground coal mines and put our nation’s coal miners out of work,” he said.
“They have completely ignored our requests for information regarding their clandestine actions, which is a clear violation of Federal laws and regulations, and we will hold them accountable for their unlawful actions.”
Murray Energy employs more than 7,000 people in six US states, and currently operates 17 active underground coal mines in Ohio, Illinois, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Utah.
“The Obama Administration’s so-called Stream Protection Rule is the single greatest threat to the jobs and family livelihoods of our employees that I have seen in my 58 years of coal mining experience,” Murray said.
