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Carbon County commissioner tells Scofield proposed mine would need permits and a bond
Summary
Carbon County Commissioner Larry Jensen told Scofield leaders the proposed mine crosses town and county land and would require conditional use permits from both jurisdictions, a posted bond and approval from state oversight; he said a prior permit has expired and the county has not received a new application.
Mayor Jim Levanger and Scofield residents heard a briefing on March 9, 2026 from Carbon County Commissioner Larry Jensen about a proposed mine site that would straddle Scofield and unincorporated parts of Carbon County.
Jensen said the project would need a conditional use permit from both Scofield Town and Carbon County and approval from the Utah Division of Oil, Gas and Mining before work could begin. He told the council a conditional use permit issued in 2011 has since expired and that Carbon County has not received a current application from the mining company. Jensen said the company must also find a party able to post a bond before permits could move forward.
“By law the mineral owner has more right to the surface than the surface owner does,” Jensen said, describing legal constraints the town and county face when mineral owners propose projects that affect private property. He also said roughly 21,000 Carbon County residents own some coal rights and estimated about one-quarter of those owners favor the mine.
Jensen described the roles of local bodies in the permitting process: Scofield Town has authority within town limits, and Carbon County’s appointed seven-member planning commission would act on county conditional-use applications; the commission meets on the first and third Wednesdays of each month. Jensen said that if Scofield does not issue a conditional use permit, Carbon County would likewise not move forward on a permit tied to the same proposal.
Jensen also discussed tax and revenue considerations, saying the Skyline mine — which he characterized as having trouble — pays approximately $1 million in taxes and that county revenue from mineral production supports services such as the sheriff’s department through a municipal service fee. He cautioned that if a mine cannot produce coal, tax benefits tied to production would decline.
Residents asked whether the county could help relocate mine access roads and about potential impacts on property values; Jensen said those questions would depend on the project specifics and offered to bring county planners to a future town meeting to explain the process in more detail.
The council did not take formal action on the mining matter at the March 9 meeting; Jensen advised residents to contact the county to request appointments if they wanted to speak directly with county staff or commissioners.
