Permission to open a deep mine to extract anthracite coal was granted by the Schuylkill County Zoning Hearing Board at its monthly meeting held Thursday evening, Sept. 2, at the courthouse in Pottsville.

The application for the mine was made by Robert Rothermel, on behalf of One Summit Real Estate, LP, owner of the land. The mine will be developed by Future Fuels Company and will be the first deep mine to be opened in the county in many years.For the past half century strip mining operations were used to extract the coal from the bowels of the earth. Permission was also granted to construct accessory structures on the property.James Wentz was granted a variance to the county ordinance to construct a storage building 20 by 50 feet and height of 20 feet on his property fronting Forest Lane in Cass Township.The board announced the hearing on the application of Gladstone Partners, LP, to construct an international cargo airport, accessory facilities and a business park on properties owned by Butler Enterprises located at Route T-0457, Route T-0455 and Interstate 81 partly in East Union Township and partly in Kline Township, was postponed.The new date for the hearing will be Thursday, Oct. 1, at 7:30 p.m. and will be held in Courtroom one at the courthouse in Pottsville. Several people showed up for the hearing and were disappointed to learn of its postponement.