A coalition of environmental groups including Earthjustice and the Sierra Club have sued the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over a new revision finalized on December 12, which will allow mining companies to dump waste in streams. Specifically, it would give mining companies permission to overlook the current rule that prohibits mining activites within 100 feet of a stream. The revision, claims Ernesta Jones of the EPA, was “intended to reduce the environmental impacts of surface coal mining and to provide mining operators clear standards for mining near bodies of water.” Office of Surface Mining officials concurred, stating that the change was designed to “minimize disputes and misunderstandings.” Judith Petersen, executive director of Kentucky Waterways Alliance, said “The notion that coal mining companies can dump their wastes in streams without degrading them is a fantasy that the Bush administration is now trying to write into law."