It is reported that residents in the Sutton and Chickaloon areas opposed to coal mines opening there again are claiming a victory this week after the state Department of Natural Resources withdrew a renewal permit it had granted in May for the Jonesville Mine.

Admitting the state failed to adequately respond to concerns about the legality of the permit, DNR Coal Program Manager Mr Russ Kirkham said that state statute requires the permit holder, Australia based Black Range Minerals, to file its intent to mine the property within three years of the original issuance of the permit.

Mr Kirkham explained that "The Jonesville permit was first issued in 1996 and was transferred to several companies since then. Those opposed to the renewal of the permit believe the statute requires mining activities to begin within three years of the permit, so we’re looking at that now. We will go through our historical records and reports and look at the data. We might end up stipulating that the mining company provide additional data to us, but I can’t say right now how much of an impact this will have on the permit or future operations at the mine."

Black Range Minerals, through its Colorado based subsidiary Ranger Alaska LLC, bought the rights to the 1,450 acre underground mine off Jonesville Mine Road in the heart of Sutton from Knoll Acres LLC in 2008.

(Sourced from www.frontiersman.com)