WASILLA -- Usibelli Coal Mine has won another victory in its bid to move ahead with a potentially major coal operation near Sutton known as Wishbone Hill.
Natural Resources Commissioner Mark Myers on Monday reaffirmed a lower-level decision to renew two permits Usibelli needs to pursue the mine. Myers rejected an appeal filed by six groups, as recommended by a hearing officer in March.
The groups contend Usibelli is operating on long-expired permits last approved in 1996 and should be required to start over again with new science and public hearings. Even if renewal was appropriate, the groups stated in their appeal, the mine operation poses environmental threats and the state should deny the renewal.
The groups involved in the appeal were Castle Mountain Coalition, Cook Inletkeeper, Alaska Center for the Environment, Community Action on Toxics, Alaska Chapter of the Sierra Club and Chickaloon Village Traditional Council, which has a pending water rights application for Moose Creek near the mine area.
They have 30 days to appeal the commissioner's decision to the Alaska Superior Court. It wasn't immediately clear whether an appeal would be filed. A separate, federal lawsuit over the mine permits has yet to be decided.
Usibelli has no immediate plans to start operations at Wishbone Hill, spokesperson Lorali Simon said Tuesday. The company is still examining coal markets and may need to update a 2010 feasibility study.