Utah Government Planned Coal Mine Development

To improve the regional economy, the government plans to build a Utah coal mine in the southern region of Utah. Division of Oil, Gas and Mining Utah has given initial approval to Alton Cedar City to build a coal mine covering 635 hectares in the town of Alton Kane Country. This coal mine is expected to produce as many as 2 million tons.

Development of coal mines will use private land, but production will be sent approximately 130 miles to a facility near Cedar City. Use of facilities at the Cedar City area, especially near Garfield County, received criticism from the public because it would interfere with public facilities and environment in the region Garfiled District.

"The environmentalists do not want to see anything happen anywhere," says Hulet, the county commissioners. "They just want the people in the community and throughout the United States to rely on social programs like health care. They do not want to see anyone who has a job with good salary."

In November, they filed an appeal of the initial agreement. Stephen Bloch, an attorney for the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, said Suwa and the Sierra Club who wanted to carry out checks on the location of the channel to be mined. Which may not be until the spring because of winter snow.