Photos: Usibelli's Wishbone Hill coal mine project

ExpandAutoplay

Image 1 of 4

The site of Usibelli's Wishbone Hill coal mine project in the Matanuska Valley on Wednesday, May 2, 2012.

In the Matanuska Valley north of Anchorage, a coal mine more than 20 years in the making may have struck an obstacle it cannot overcome -- citizens intent on stopping the project. By studying the mine's thick paper trail, they've dug up a problem they think could be the holy grail of citizen activism.

The groups believe the mine doesn't have a valid permit and hasn't since 1996.

If that's true, the mine will have to stop operations. The groups have gone to court, saying government watchdogs at all levels have failed to remedy the situation after being alerted months ago. The mine believes it will withstand the citizen assault, characterizing the legal attack in court as an unsurprising, tired-but-effective ploy for anti-development activists.

Wishbone Hill is estimated to hold about 14 million tons of coal reserves. It's the smallest of Usibelli Coal Mine's fields -- just two miles wide and eight miles long. But it's also one in which the company sees the greatest development potential because of the quality of the coal and its location near the road system.

The Alaskan-owned company has operated in Alaska's interior for decades. Its Healy plant produces 2 million tons of coal a year. Half of that output stays in Alaska to feed six coal-fired power plants throughout the region. The other half gets sent to Chile, South Korea and Japan. Coal from Wishbone Hill, if the project comes on line, will be exported.

Read the full story on citizen clamor to shutdown Wishbone Hill.