Last year, the Sierra Club and our allies submitted nearly 250,000 comments to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) opposing the expansion of the privately owned Alton Coal Mine onto federal land in southern Utah, 10 miles from Bryce Canyon National Park.
At the same time, both the National Park Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued formal comments opposing the mine. In addition, Utah's largest newspaper editorialized against the mine proposal.
We can't risk the pristine night sky, the local recreation economy, the amazing vistas or the wildlife near the park just to dig more coal out of the earth for a few years of dirty electric power.
But the BLM has never denied a mining expansion request like this before. That's why we aren't taking any chances.
Keep up the pressure to halt the expansion of the Alton Coal Mine and protect Bryce Canyon National Park! Send a message to the BLM and Department of Interior Secretary Jewell now!
Subject: Deny Alton Coal's request to expand mining operations near Bryce Canyon National Park!
Dear Secretary Jewell and Director Kornze,
Bryce Canyon National Park and the surrounding southern Utah landscape is a natural treasure that must be preserved and protected from dangerous coal mining. As you know, the Alton Coal Mine has submitted an application to expand its operations onto federal land in southern Utah 10 miles from the park.
Last year 250,000 comments were delivered to the Bureau of Land Management opposing the expansion of the mine and two of the BLM's sister agencies, the National Park Service and the Fish and Wildlife Service also issued formal letters opposing the expansion as well.
If expansion of the mine is permitted, endangered wildlife like the sage grouse will lose precious habitat, dust from operations will cloud the pristine night sky and amazing vistas in the park, and increased truck traffic will snarl roads and overwhelm local towns, putting the local recreation economy, which relies on the world-class recreation opportunities the park currently provides, at risk.
With such strong public opposition, with two DOI sister agencies opposing the expansion, and with so much at stake economically and environmentally, it makes sense for the DOI to not allow the mine expansion to go forward.
Please do not approve the expansion of the Alton coal mine on federal land, and protect Bryce Canyon National Park for future generations to enjoy.
