WASHINGTON, Aug. 23 (UPI) -- The White House is enacting a regulation that will protect the U.S. coal mining practice of mountaintop removal, The New York Times said Thursday.

The technique, which involves blasting the tops off of mountains and dumping the rubble into valleys and streams, has been used in Appalachian coal country for 20 years, despite some legal and regulatory confusion, the Times said.

The new statute would allow the practice to continue so long as mine operators minimize the amount of debris and impact to the environment.

The tenet was designed to make it easier for mining companies to dig more coal to satisfy growing energy demands and reduce the United States' dependence on foreign oil.

Government and industry officials argue the rules are needed to clarify existing laws, which have been challenged in court and applied inconsistently.

Environmental activists warned the rule change could devastate vast tracts and obliterate hundreds of miles of streams in central Appalachia