ion . ▁ ▁The ▁prospect ▁of ▁England ' s ▁first ▁new ▁coal ▁mine ▁in ▁over ▁ 3 0 ▁years ▁has ▁prompt ed ▁anger ▁in ▁parts ▁of ▁the ▁local ▁community ▁with ▁an ▁action ▁group ▁( 3 8 ▁D eg rees ) ▁starting ▁up ▁with ▁the ▁s log an ▁Keep ▁C umb rian ▁coal ▁in ▁the ▁hole . ▁The ▁protest ers ▁have ▁pointed ▁out ▁that ▁the ▁under ground ▁work ings ▁would ▁extend ▁to ▁within ▁ ▁of ▁the ▁nuclear ▁p onds ▁at ▁S ella field ▁and ▁they ▁also ▁c ite ▁the ▁proxim ity ▁of ▁the ▁mine ▁to ▁a ▁proposed ▁new ▁nuclear ▁facility ▁at ▁Mo ors ide . ▁Another ▁concern ▁is ▁that ▁of ▁the ▁pre val ence ▁of ▁m eth ane ▁in ▁the ▁C umb rian ▁Co al field . ▁The ▁protest ▁group ▁have ▁pointed ▁out ▁that ▁the ▁dangerous ▁levels ▁of ▁gas ▁made ▁the ▁region ▁an ▁ideal ▁test - bed ▁for ▁the ▁Dav y ▁L amp ▁in ▁ 1 8 1 6 . ▁ ▁Appro val s ▁and ▁appe als ▁In ▁March ▁ 2 0 1 9 , ▁a ▁meeting ▁of ▁C umb ria ▁County ▁Council ' s ▁planning ▁committee ▁voted ▁un anim ously ▁in ▁favour ▁of ▁the ▁project ▁cit ing ▁" the ▁des perate ▁need ▁for ▁jobs , ▁particularly ▁in ▁dep riv ed ▁w ards ▁close ▁to ▁the ▁proposed ▁new ▁mine ". ▁Green ▁campaign ers ▁announced ▁that ▁they ▁would ▁launch ▁a ▁legal ▁challenge . ▁A ▁sp ok esp erson ▁for ▁South ▁L akes ▁Action ▁on ▁Cl imate ▁Change , ▁said ▁that ▁the ▁mine ▁would ▁" tot