Lawyers for the Obama administration this morning filed a notice that they plan to appeal the latest federal court ruling that — if not overturned — would require more stringent regulation of mountaintop removal coal mining.

Justice Department lawyers filed this notice with the U.S. District Court here in Charleston, indicating they plan to challenge the ruling on behalf of the federal Army Corps of Engineers.

The ruling in question was made in March by U.S. District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin, and blocked the Corps from approving new coal industry valley fills through a streamlined Clean Water Act approval process. Coal industry lawyers have also indicated that they will appeal Goodwin’s ruling.

Interestingly, there’s an item today on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Web site that indicates EPA administrator Lisa Jackson has a meeting late today (between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m.) with Congressman Nick J. Rahall, D-W.Va.

I wonder what Jackson and Rahall are going to be talking about …