Pocatello, Idaho-The United Steelworkers Union has officially supported the J.R. Simplot Co.’s expansion of its Smoky Canyon Mine by filing a motion to intervene in a lawsuit filed by the Greater Yellowstone Coalition against Simplot. In June, Simplot was given permission by both the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management to complete mining two remaining sections of the company’s Smoky Canyon Mine. After the Forest Service dismissed the environmental group’s appeal against the two federal agencies, the Greater Yellowstone Coalition filed the lawsuit to block the mine expansion. Some local steelworkers believe the coalition’s move is a delay tactic aimed at eventually shutting down the mine. The union argued that would result in 350 workers at Simplot’s Pocatello phosphate fertilizer plant losing their jobs. The Don plant processes phosphate ore slurried from the Smoky Canyon Mine. Of the 350 employees at the Pocatello plant, 250 belong to the steelworkers union. “This lawsuit may be an interesting philosophical experiment for GYC, but for us, we are fighting for our careers, our families, our homes and our community,” said Steve Landon, local steelworkers union president.
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