By Dan Elliott

December 4, 2016 - Colorado’s flagging coal industry got a glimmer of hope when the federal government removed one obstacle to expanding the state’s largest mine, but it isn’t a done deal, and further court challenges are likely.

Arch Coal Inc. wants to extend its underground West Elk Mine into untapped federal coal reserves in Gunnison County. On Nov. 17, the U.S. Forest Service proposed a ruling that would clear the way for the company to build temporary roads on more than 30 square miles of largely untouched national forest land to facilitate the expansion.

Arch still needs further approvals before it could build roads or expand. And at least one environmental group said it is willing to renew a three-year legal battle to try to block the plan.

“This is a boneheaded proposal, and we’re going to do everything we can to enforce some common sense here,” said Jeremy Nichols, WildEarth Guardians’ climate and energy director. “I think at this point it’s looking like the only recourse we might have is to go back to federal court.”

West Elk produced 5.1 million tons of coal last year, more than a quarter of the state’s total, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

The Forest Service proposal would help West Elk get access to as much as 172 million more tons of federally owned coal, extending the life of the mine by years.