nobody really understands the impact that coal has in west virginia. it gives back to the schools, it gives back to the communities, it gives back to the infrastructure of the state. reporter: mountain top mining way to access close to the surface coal scene involves four steps. first, clearing the mountain. then blasting off the top of it. then digging out the coal. and finally putting the extra dirt and rocks into a valley fill as it s called. the obama administration is particularly concerned with water that flows through the valley fills and in to streams. e.p.a. administrator lisa jackson said the water gets polluted with salt and other contaminants, causing, irreversible damage to the physical and biological integrity of appalachian streams. coal mining companies will have to adapt to the new regulations because jackson says, very few valley fills are going to meet this standard. that comes across as heavy-handed to some west virginians. let s don t penalize people who
nobody really understands the impact that coal has in west virginia. it gives back to the schools, it gives back to the communities, it gives back to the infrastructure of the state. reporter: mountain top mining way to access close to the surface coal scene involves four steps. first, clearing the mountain. then blasting off the top of it. then digging out the coal. and finally putting the extra dirt and rocks into a valley fill as it s called. the obama administration is particularly concerned with water that flows through the valley fills and in to streams. e.p.a. administrator lisa jackson said the water gets polluted with salt and other contaminants, causing, irreversible damage to the physical and biological integrity of appalachian streams. coal mining companies will have to adapt to the new regulations because jackson says, very few valley fills are going to meet this standard. that comes across as heavy-handed to some west virginians. let s don t penalize people who
salt and other contaminants. so the e.p.a. has announced much tougher standards for water quality in mountain top mining areas, effective immediately. environmentalists say it will lead to cleaner drinking water. some west virginiaens say it will cost jobs in tough economic times. let s don t penalize those people who are hard-working and have jobs and completely, completely handcuff an industry. we are a talented country, full of brilliant people who can solve these problems in a way that s a win for the environment and a win for the economy. e.p.a. administrator lisa jackson has said that, quote, very few valley fills are going to meet this new standard. shep? shepard: molly henneberg live in washington. molly, thanks. there may be a speed bump on the road to recovery. americans have once again cut back on their borrowing. that s according to the federal reserve, which reports borrowing fell by more than $11 billion in