Judge Refuses to Block Campbell Co. Coal Mine
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October 31, 2003
KNOXVILLE (AP) -- A federal judge in Knoxville Friday refused to block a Campbell County coal mine opposed by environmentalists in rural Elk Valley.
Judge Thomas Varlan said he found no indication that federal officials' decision to issue a mining permit to Robert Clear Coal Company was "arbitrary or capricious."
The LaFollette-based coal company began mining on Zeb Mountain in July after the U.S. Office of Surface Mining conducted a year-long review.
Several environmental groups sought an injunction, saying the project threatens people, wildlife and the forest. They claimed the company should have been forced to complete a detailed environmental impact statement before receiving the permit.
The company plans to haul more than 7 million tons of coal from Zeb Mountain over the next 10 years. That's enough coal to power the nation's coal-fired power plants for 18 days.
(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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