Mine Tragedy ‘Not a Surprise’
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Since taking office in 2001, the Bush administration has cut funding and staff at the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), the federal agency in charge of enforcing the nation’s mine safety laws. The Bush administration has eliminated 170 jobs at MSHA and proposed to cut the MSHA budget in fiscal year 2006 by some $4.9 million in real dollar terms.
Mine Workers union leaders and other job safety advocates say the nation’s mine safety is compromised by the Bush administration’s emphasis on voluntary compliance with safety rules—in contrast with previous administrations, which have favored strong enforcement. Safety advocates also say the close coal industry ties of Bush administration appointees to MSHA leadership positions have further weakened the MSHA’s commitment to safety enforcement. Bush has appointed former senior executives from Peabody Energy, AMAX Inc., the American Mining Congress, Cyprus Minerals Co. and other such companies to high-ranking posts within MSHA.
The Sago Mine is owned by the International Coal Group (ICG), which purchased it last year from Anker West Virginia Mining Co. In 2005, MSHA inspectors cited operators for more than 200 safety violations at the mine, including ventilation, roof support, escape-way and pre-shift safety exam violations. Yet the agency collected just $24,000 in fines or about $115 per violation.
“The bitter truth is that this tragedy was not a surprise—both because the mine had a disturbing safety record, and because the Bush administration in Washington has been undercutting mine safety,” the Charleston (W.Va.) Gazette wrote in a Jan. 5 editorial.
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Since taking office in 2001, the Bush administration has cut funding and staff at the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), the federal agency in charge of enforcing the nation’s mine safety laws. The Bush administration has eliminated 170 jobs at MSHA and proposed to cut the MSHA budget in fiscal year 2006 by some $4.9 million in real dollar terms.
Mine Workers union leaders and other job safety advocates say the nation’s mine safety is compromised by the Bush administration’s emphasis on voluntary compliance with safety rules—in contrast with previous administrations, which have favored strong enforcement. Safety advocates also say the close coal industry ties of Bush administration appointees to MSHA leadership positions have further weakened the MSHA’s commitment to safety enforcement. Bush has appointed former senior executives from Peabody Energy, AMAX Inc., the American Mining Congress, Cyprus Minerals Co. and other such companies to high-ranking posts within MSHA.
The Sago Mine is owned by the International Coal Group (ICG), which purchased it last year from Anker West Virginia Mining Co. In 2005, MSHA inspectors cited operators for more than 200 safety violations at the mine, including ventilation, roof support, escape-way and pre-shift safety exam violations. Yet the agency collected just $24,000 in fines or about $115 per violation.
“The bitter truth is that this tragedy was not a surprise—both because the mine had a disturbing safety record, and because the Bush administration in Washington has been undercutting mine safety,” the Charleston (W.Va.) Gazette wrote in a Jan. 5 editorial.
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posted by TheFuriousGourmet | 5:40 AM
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