Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Los Angeles Considers Opposing Coal Mining Expansion in Utah

The Los Angeles City Council is considering whether to formally oppose a plan that would expand coal mining into federal lands in Utah. Los Angeles is the largest recipient of coal power produced from mining in Utah, relying on the fossil fuel for nearly 40 percent of its public utility's 22 million megawatt hour energy requirements. Environmentalists are urging the federal government not to allow operations at a private mine in Utah to expand into federal land. And the activists say a resolution from the city of L.A. against the mine's expansion would help the cause. Pacifica's Dan Fritz files this report from Los Angeles.