On Feb. 16, Trump signed legislation rolling back a rule established by the Obama administration that prohibited Mining Companies from dumping their waste into streams and rivers.

The Office of Surface Mining’s Stream Protection Rule was designed to protect waterways from coal Mining waste. The rule was finalized in December 2016.

Apparently, to the GOP members of the legislature and Trump, it is vitally important that coal and other mining companies be able to dump as much toxic waste into streams and rivers as possible.

So what if the dumping results in toxic contamination of groundwater and drinking water?

The miners will get keep their jobs and mining companies can cheaply dump their waste where it’s most convenient.

The miners and others in downstream communities may die from toxic water, but they’ll be employed when they die, and that is all that matters.