Initial Approval for Henderson Mine
By: Web Producer
Updated: January 22, 2008
Henderson County Fiscal Court gives a preliminary thumbs-up to a controversial new coal mine near Zion.
Patriot Coal asked the county to rezone 600 acres.
Residents have opposed the idea, but the Fiscal Court voted 3-to-2 in favor.
By law, mining companies have a right to mine and the only thing that gives the Henderson County Fiscal Court any say in what the coal companies do is the surface mining ordinance.
Henderson is the only county in Kentucky that has one and one of the court magistrates says thats huge.
The ordinance gives the county control over what mines can and cant do, but it cant keep them away.
The Fiscal Court must pass the ordinance on second and third readings before it becomes official.
But, those votes are usually just formalities.
Theyre scheduled for February 5th and 15th.
