Another Reason to Buy Gold (and Silver, and Oil…)

While this next story doesn’t have to do specifically with gold – the focus is coal – it’s a landmark of the wrong sort. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has unilaterally revoked the Clean Water permits for coal mining operations in Appalachia.

A Mineweb story quoted one member of the mining community who was outraged at the act:

“Today’s unprecedented action by the EPA offers more proof that this administration and the EPA are paying lip service to the employment and economic challenges this state and our country are facing,” said Bryan Brown, West Virginia executive director of FACES of Coal. “Every road project, construction project or mine site that has received valid CWA 404 permits in the past is now in jeopardy of having that permit vetoed or revoked.”

Thanks to years of indoctrination, generations of Americans – and individuals around the world – have learned from their state-run schools to hate the extraction industries. They may have the best of intentions, but these are increasingly the people moving into positions of power – with predictable consequences.

By the time they realize the errors of their ways, the cost of, well, everything is going to be crushing.

On a similar note, did you see that California’s new governor, Jerry Brown, appointed one of the most ardent opponents of off-shore drilling to the position of Secretary of Natural Resources for that state? Hope that works out for them.

Casey Dispatch