Dear Melissa, The largest surface mine east of the Mississippi River will begin operations in southwestern Indiana later this year, with an expected 16-24 billion pounds of dirty coal expected to be mined annually.1 And due to shortsighted decisions made by Governor Mitch Daniels' administration, the massive Bear Run Mine will be one of the least regulated coal mines in the United States, with no limits on the amount of pollution it can create. That's unacceptable. Coal mining is dangerous, and Governor Daniels shouldn't give this mine an unlimited pass to pollute when the health of Hoosiers is on the line. Tell Governor Daniels: Protect Hoosiers from the Dirty Bear Run coal mine. Click here to automatically sign the petition. In all of the other states with large coal mines, mine operators are required to do significant testing and analysis before a permit is granted. And each mine needs an individual permit with a specific limit on how much the mine is allowed to pollute. But in Indiana, all mines — from the smallest in the state to the largest — are given a general permit that doesn't require specific pollution limits. In fact, the Bear Run Mine hasn't even been required to perform a basic environmental analysis, leaving the state clueless about the mine's potential pollution. Studies have shown that pollution from coal mining is linked to chronic illnesses like kidney disease and emphysema.2 And Hoosiers deserve much better safeguards against these threats. The Daniels administration is looking out for the interests of big coal companies rather than the health and welfare of Indiana residents — and that needs to change now. Click below to automatically sign the petition to Governor Daniels: http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=366382&id=33768-4888946-lKqx7Jx&t=9 Thanks for fighting to protect Hoosiers from dirty coal mining pollution. Josh Nelson, Campaign Manager CREDO Action from Working Assets 1. Is Bear Run Coal Mine Putting Hoosiers at Risk?, Indianapolis Star, January 8, 2012 2. Chronic Illness Linked to Coal-Mining Pollution, Study Shows, Science Daily, March 26, 2008 |