I am writing to urge you to help end the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) moratorium on coal mining permits and stop any further attempts by the EPA to issue backdoor regulations through the implementation of "guidance" without seeking public comments on important issues that affect coal mining in Appalachia.

EPA's "permitorium" jeopardizes thousands of jobs in Appalachia and threatens the supply of affordable energy for millions of American households and businesses across the country. EPA is using a procedural tool, known as guidance, to issue sweeping new regulatory policies without going through the regulatory process and seeking public comment. By using guidance documents to impose new regulatory policy that blocks the issuance of coal mining permits, thousands of high-paying jobs in our communities are in jeopardy; tax revenues that sustain our schools and vital services are threatened; and we are denying access to an affordable, reliable source of domestic energy.

I urge you to stop the EPA from issuing these backdoor regulations and support legislation that will put America's coal miners back to work by approving long-delayed mine permits in Appalachia. We need to ensure that any new regulations imposed by EPA are done in way that is transparent and follows the rulemaking process allowing for public comments as envisioned by Congress.

Coal miners depend on the ability to mine for their livelihood. Please show your support for the tens of thousands of Americans and their families who depend on high-wage coal jobs and the communities they serve by ending EPA's permit moratorium and their regulatory attack on America's coal industry.