A federal judge has ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency overstepped its powers by setting up water-quality criteria for coal mining operations in Appalachia.
Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin said he's excited about the decision.
"It's a great victory for West Virginia, for the coal miners, for their families, for those people that work in the industry," he said.
A coal mining industry coalition filed suit against the EPA after the agency tightened guidelines last year about how coal waste would be disposed.
Families who live and work in the heart of coal country are happy with the latest court ruling.
Bobby Ferrell is an underground miner in Boone County.
"If you don't have coal miners driving to work everyday you're not going to have gas stations buying gas," he said. "You're not going to have McDonald's selling breakfast. You're not going to have Wal-Mart selling groceries. It's not just the coal mines, it's every area related to it."
Tomblin says major decisions are now up to mountain state officials.
"It's up to the state now to make the decision on the environment and under the federal guidance that's in existence right now and to issue permits as far as coal mining goes," Tomblin said.
While it's likely this court ruling won't be the last in the battle over coal and the environment, miners in Boone County said they want to share this victory.
"I hope my kids and my family win. I hope the coal miners win. Cause it ain't just me. It's my home, it's my kids, it's the whole family," said Stacy Kessinger, a surface miner, also from Boone County.
Not everyone is happy.
Opponents of the ruling say the waste that is being disposed of at these mines is damaging the environment, and perhaps more importantly, making people sick.
They say the run-off from the coal mining process is entering the water table, and causing some serious health problems.
Supporters of the ruling say there just isn't enough evidence to support those claims.
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