According to the Associated Press, the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy, the Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition and the Sierra Club filed a lawsuit last Thursday in the US District Court with judge Chuck Chambers opposing the Highland Reylas operation in Logan County.

The mine, which would utilize mountaintop removal to extract coal, is owned by Alpha Natural Resources division Highland Mining.

A permit from the US Army Corps was issued in March, giving clearance to the mine to fill in more than two miles of stream bed, one valley fill, one sediment pond and numerous miner-through areas, the news service said. To offset the damage, the company was ordered to create or restore stream channels.

The groups told the AP that the USAC did not consider scientific studies regarding potential health risks from mountaintop removal mining, despite being aware of the research when it issued the permit.

“[USAC] must acknowledge that harm to the residents of coal country must be taken into account when granting permits,” Sierra Club West Virginia chapter executive director Jim Sconyers told the wire.

The environmental groups are asking that the court order USAC to review the health studies as well as any relevance they may have to the Reylas permit, which was issued with the finding by the USAC that no human health effects were anticipated.

Alpha did not issue a public statement on the suit.