SENATE BILL: The Atlasian Mountaintop Removal Ban Act (Law'd)

[Senator North Carolina Yankee]

The Atlasian Mountaintop Removal Ban Act

Section 1.)
The Senate of Atlasia hereby acknowledges:

• That mountaintop removal is considered an 'extreme form' of mining that should be replaced by alternative means of energy production
• That mountaintop removal hurts biodiversity
• That mountaintop removal reduces workers
• That mountaintop removal is a threat to the public health
• That mountaintop removal is detrimental to the citizens of mountains which are affected

Section 2.)
The Atlasian government shall not distribute any permits to coal-mining industries whose practices would result in the topographical alteration and/or removal of a summit, summit ridge, or significant portion of a mountain, hill, or ridge.

Section 3.)
Mining industries that partake in this practice will be fined at a maximum of $2,000,000.  The final amount shall be determined in a court of law.

Section 4.)
The appropriate funds shall be allocated for enforcement of this bill.

[Secretary Polnut]

Signing statement: The environmental consequences of these practices cannot be ignored. We have known about the risks for a long time, and mining companies have known for a long time too. They have had ample time to adjust their practices, but since they have not, we have had to step in.

[Badger]

Nay.  The assault on poor people continues.