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ALTON -- A coalition of environmental groups filed an emergency petition Wednesday to stop a new strip-mining operation.
Environmentalists are asking the Utah Supreme Court to shut down the coal-mining project in the town of Alton in Southern Utah that received a go-ahead from state officials several weeks ago.
The undeveloped Alton coalfield has been an environmental battleground for years because it's only a few miles from Bryce Canyon National Park.
"From the night skies at the park you would see the coal-mining operations," said Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance attorney Stephen Bloch. "The coal-mine threatens essentially the air, the water, and the economy of towns like Panguitch in Southern Utah."
The state Supreme Court has not indicated when it will act on the petition.
