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ALTON, Utah (AP) -- A company wants to mine coal outside Bryce Canyon National Park in southern Utah, a plan likely to stir dissent among critics who note that some areas were restricted years ago.
"The proximity to the national park puts this one way up on our radar screen," said Stephen Bloch, attorney at the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance.
Alton Coal Development LLC said the proposed surface mine would produce about 2 million tons of coal a year in Kane County.
An application to the Utah Division of Oil, Gas and Mining says the strip mine would start on 440 acres of private land.
The federal Bureau of Land Management is studying the idea of attaching nearly 3,600 acres of public land to that project.
Public meetings are planned in Alton, Kanab, Panguitch, Cedar City and Salt Lake City. Dates and times have not been announced.
A study for the Utah Geological Survey estimates the Alton coal field covers 175 square miles beneath Kane and Garfield counties. Almost 200 million tons of coal are within 200 feet of the surface.
In the 1980s, the BLM withdrew about 184,000 acres for potential coal mining because the land was visible from Bryce Canyon and would affect the recreational experience of visitors.
"Some of the concerns we have initially are similar to the ones raised back then -- water and air quality -- not only to local residents but also to Bryce Canyon National Park," Bloch said.
State mining regulator Pamela Grubaugh, who has been processing Alton Coal's permit application, said she needs more details about the project.
The company wants to "demonstrate that they can mine responsibly and in good fashion," she said.
------ Information from: The Salt Lake Tribune, http://www.sltrib.com
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
