President Trump Fulfills Promise to Miners, Signs Bipartisan Legislation to Repeal Stream Protection Rule

Edited Feb. 24, 2017 for clarification.

President Donald J. Trump last week signed H.J. Res 38, a joint resolution of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act related to the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement’s (OSM) final Stream Protection Rule (SPR) which was put in place in the waning hours of the previous administration. This is the first action by the new president to fulfill promises made to American workers to harness the power of American energy, restore their jobs and reduce unnecessary regulatory burdens.

The Department of the Interior is charged with managing America's half a billion acres of on and offshore public lands and the natural resources on them. Public lands contribute hundreds of thousands of energy jobs to the economy in areas like coal mining, oil, gas, and renewable energy development.

Labor groups and local governments argued the SPR was drafted hastily and was a one size fits all solution to a very local problem. They argue the SPR would decimate the American coal industry. Thanks to Congress and the President working with local stakeholders, American energy jobs have been saved and harmful regulations repealed.