Judge’s decision halts Valley mine project

A federal judge’s ruling in a long-standing court action against a Palmer coal mine is being hailed as a win for environmental groups.
Late Thursday, US district court judge Sharon Gleason sided with Castle Mountain Coalition, Cook Inletkeeper and other groups in a case that could determine the validity of Usibelli Coal’s Wishbone Hill mine permits. Gleason’s ruling reverses a decision by the federal Office of Surface Mining which had validated Usibelli’s Wishbone Hill pe