In a landmark victory, the Sierra Club, the West Virginia Rivers Coalition, and the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy have reached an agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to address the longstanding issue of ionic toxicity pollution in West Virginia streams caused by coal mining.

The proposed consent decree requires the EPA to develop Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) for ionic toxicity pollution for 11 high-priority West Virginia streams by January 15, 2025. This is a crucial step towards restoring the health of our streams and ensuring clean water for generations to come.

The EPA has agreed to address ionic toxicity pollution from coal mining, but we need your help before Monday, April 29th, at midnight!

What’s ionic toxicity? When coal is extracted through methods like mountaintop removal mining, it releases high levels of ions into nearby water sources, increasing the “conductivity” — or salinity — of freshwater streams. This makes the water too salty for aquatic life to survive and disrupts entire ecosystems. This pollution compromises drinking water quality and escalates water treatment costs for communities.

Urge the EPA to swiftly implement the proposed consent decree.→

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WV Rivers