« Ind. Decisions - Implications of "Decision in one federal trial over whether communities have right to restrict new medical centers" | Main | Ind. Decisions - Court of Appeals deals with several issues today [Updated] »

Tuesday, November 08, 2005

Environment - Mountaintop mining; Delaware County Ag Park; Recycling Building Waste

Mountaintop mining. The Louisville Courier Journal reports today:

PIKEVILLE, Ky. -- Environmentalists asked a federal judge yesterday to stop the Army Corps of Engineers from issuing permits that allow coal mine companies to push mountaintops into valleys. The opponents of mountaintop mining are hoping for a victory similar to one they won last year in West Virginia. Environmentalists argue the mining practice is so destructive that it should be banned.

But Paul Cirino, a lawyer for the U.S. Department of Justice's environmental defense section, said the corps has scientists who make sure the environmental effects from so-called valley fills are minimal. * * *

U.S. District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin of West Virginia ruled last year that the corps failed to comply with the federal Clean Water Act in approving valley fill permits in southern West Virginia's mountainous coalfields.

The Ohio River Environmental Coalition argued that valley fill applications should undergo individual scrutiny because of the potential of significant environmental effects.

See this 8/24/05 ILB entry. Type "mountaintop mining" in the search box for more.

Ag Park. The Muncie Star-Press has a story on the Delaware County Ag Park here.

Recycling Building Waste. The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette has an editorial on recycling building waste. Some quotes:

More than 130 million tons of debris from construction sites is dumped in U.S. landfills annually, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Much of that debris – between 80 percent to 95 percent – could be recycled, but it isn’t happening. A new project from the Allen County Solid Waste Management District to encourage home construction site recycling should extend the life of local landfills and save contractors money. * * *

To get local builders and contractors interested in recycling, the district invited contractors to a demonstration of new technology that takes huge loads of recyclable construction materials and grinds them into tiny pieces. Construction companies should find the amount of money they are able to save through recycling impressive.

Leftover lumber becomes landscaping mulch. Drywall becomes a sought-after soil additive for local farmers. Farmers use the gypsum to loosen clay soil reducing the amount of irrigation needed. “It saves the environment and saves contractors money, which will, hopefully, trickle down to the consumer as well,” Copeland said.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on November 8, 2005 10:11 AM
Posted to Environment