The Colowyo Coal Co. on Friday said it will appeal a federal court ruling that it says could cause a shutdown of the mine near Craig.
Colowyo, a subsidiary of Westminster-based Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, requested a stay of a May 8 ruling that of the coal mine’s operations.
The Office of Surface Mining last week said . Tri-State, however, said it is worried that the mine could be closed if the OSM does not complete the assessment within a court-ordered 120-day period.
After a lawsuit filed by environmental group WildEarth Guardians, a U.S. District Court judge ruled that the OSM failed to comply with federal requirements when the agency approved an expansion of Colowyo operations.
Colowyo, which employs 220, is a major economic generator in northwest Colorado.
