Meeting concerning South Heart coal mine proposal runs until midnight

• Coal meeting

Press Photo by Lisa Miller Mark Trechock, left, of the Dakota Resource Council and Wayde Schafer with the Dacotah Chapter of Sierra Club listen to opening remarks before giving their own testimony Tuesday evening at an informal conference concerning a proposed coal mine and power plant near South Heart held at Beck Auditorium at Dickinson State University in Dickinson. Both groups oppose the project.

Talk about it

The second session of an informal conference concerning a proposed 4,600-acre coal mine and power plant near South Heart concluded between 11:30 p.m. and midnight Tuesday.

Scott Sheldon with consumer affairs and public outreach for the North Dakota Public Service Commission said the commission had received enough information during the morning and evening meetings that there was no need to continue the informal conference this morning, which they were contemplating.

Although only about a dozen people came to the morning session, more than 100 attended the evening session.

An overwhelming majority came to protest of the project.

Hearing officer Allen Hoberg said Tuesday another portion of the informal meeting will be held later this summer or fall.

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