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4/25/2008 3:31 AM

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The Center for Coalfield Justice and the Mountain Watershed Association are encouraging residents to submit written comments to the state Department of Environmental Protection on the proposed downgrade of the only high-quality streams in Greene County.

The downgrade petitions have been submitted to the Environmental Quality Board by area coal companies.

The first petition from Consol Pennsylvania Coal Co. requests the downgrade of Grinnage Run in Gray and Richhill townships. The second submitted by Foundation Coal proposes downgrading the entire South Fork of Ten Mile.

Both streams are currently designated as high quality warm-water fisheries; if downgraded, the streams will have a less protective warm-water fishery designation.

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"Redesignation of these streams could have precedent-setting potential," said Raina Rippel, executive director of the Center for Coalfield Justice.

"If the DEP allows these streams to be downgraded, the streams will lose protections they now have by law, possibly allowing other streams in the coalfields to suffer the same fate. Coal companies should not profit at the expense of the community," she said.

DEP is accepting public comments on the Grinnage Run petition. Comments should be sent to Tony Shaw, Pennsylvania DEP, Division of Water Quality Standards, Bureau of Water Quality Standards and Facility Regulation, Box 8467, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8467.

More information is available through the Center for Coalfield Justice by calling 724-229-3550 or at info@coalfieldjustice.org.

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