By Associated Press - Thursday, April 17, 2014

HARRISBURG, Ill. (AP) - A southwestern Illinois county is giving a lift to a St. Louis-based coal producer’s plans to expand an underground mine.

WSIL-TV (https://bit.ly/1r2k7sb ) reports the Saline County Board has signed off on Peabody Energy’s proposal to pay for a new road as part of the company’s quest to mine an additional 800 acres near its Cottage Grove Mine.

Some residents near the mine are trying to scuttle the expansion, worried that the project could harm the environment and homeowners’ property.

One of the county commissioners, Roger Craig, says he appreciates such concerns. But signed off on the project, saying he has to consider all of the county’s 27,000 residents at a time a dozen or so households may be affected.

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Information from: WSIL-TV, https://www.wsiltv.com

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