Massey Fingered in Mine Blast Report

An independent investigation has concluded that the explosion at the Upper Big Branch coal mine that killed 29 men last year was the result of safety failings by owner Massey Energy.

The 113-page report released says Virginia-based Massey could have prevented the disaster by following basic safety procedures. By not following the procedures, the report finds, vast amounts of highly explosive dust to accumulated in the mine and eventually exploded.

Investigators dismissed Massey's contention that an inundation of gas overwhelmed safeguards weakened by ventilation changes ordered by federal regulators.

Read and listen to National Public Radio's coverage of the review here.

Chilean Officials Thank PA Companies

Lighting the state Capitol's Christmas tree, Governor Ed Rendell honored three Pennsylvania companies who played key roles in rescuing 33 Chilean miners this fall.
Rendell said 2010 was a glum year, with the ongoing recession and other negative news dominating headlines.
The miners' dramatic rescue was a welcome diversion, providing much-needed hope and positive vibes to people around the world.

"The didn't have to wait until Christmas. They didn't have to wait until Thanksgiving. In fact, they got out before Halloween, in mid-October. And these two Pennsylvania companies played an extraordinarily important part in what is the best story that happened in this world in 2010."

Somerset-based Center Rock Inc. and Schramm Inc. of Chester County provided equipment used to drill the rescue tunnel, while Philadelphia's Aramark supplied the food rescue workers lowered down to the miners.

Chile's Ambassador to the U.S., Arturo Fermandois also spoke at the event.

"The story of being able to help miners trapped, and keep them alive for 69 days with the crucial help of Pennsylvania companies, is one of the stories that has inspired us as a country."

Rendell explains why he focused the ceremony on the miners' rescue.

"It lifted the spirits of the world. I think it was the feel-good story of 2010 for this planet. Maybe the best story of the year. So I thought it would be great for us in Pennsylvania to honor that rescue."

Chile's Defense Minister also attended the ceremony.

Miners Families: Safety Concerns "Brushed Off"

The head of the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration says investigators are looking into allegations that Massey Energy illegally warns workers when safety inspectors arrive.
Relatives and colleagues of 29 miners killed in an explosion last month at the Upper Big Branch Mine in Montcoal, West Virginia made those allegations today at a House Education and Labor Committee hearing in Beckley, West Virginia.
Such warnings would violate federal mining regulations, and MSHA chief Joe Main says it's being evaluated as a potential crime by the Justice Department.
Democratic Congressman Jason Altmire (PA-04) of McCandless Township is a member of the House committee and told DUQ News that is was difficult to hear the testimony from the families because they were quite emotional in presenting their stories.
"In many cases what was most revealing, there were miners who had multiple times expressed their concerns (about ventilation problems in the mine).....miners who had written notes to their wives saying 'if things don't work out and I don't come back, I want you to take action. '"
Altmire says they heard testimony that safety concerns expressed to the mine's owner, Massey Energy, by veteran and younger miners were "brushed off" and as a result 29 miners lost their lives because nothing was done.
Altmire says the Mine Safety and Health Administration does not have the enforcement mechanisms it needs and the families of the victims want Congress to give the agency the power to shut down mines if they don't take corrective measures. Last year Massey was cited 500 times and this year 120 times before the April explosion.
On Monday, Massey reiterated earlier statements that it doesn't
put profits ahead of safety.

West Virgina Governor Gives Executive Order

West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin is asking that all coal mining cease on Friday April 16th. In an interview with WDUQ Manchin says he wants West Virginia's miners to spend the day working on safety issues as a way to honor the 29 men who died in an explosion in Massey Energy's Upper Big Branch Mine. Manchin said there is no better way to honor the men who lost their lives than to review safety procedures. He says that any miner who sees a violation should report it and should not feel intimidated, "When you see something wrong let us know and if someone intimidates you or if you are concerned about your job call me, that won't happen." Manchin also wants inspectors to look at all the mines. He says he wants results from an investigation into the Upper Big Branch Mine to come as quickly as possible because he doesn't want to wait for 6 months before seeing a report and taking action.

Listen to Kevin Gavin's interview with Governor Joe Manchin

Head of UMWA Calls for Massey CEO to be Arrested.

The head of the United Mine Workers of America Union went before the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO convention in Pittsburgh today and fired up the crowd by taking some swipes at the head of Massey energy. Massey Energy owns the mine where 29 workers lost their lives last week. UMWA President Cecil Roberts admits mining is dangerous but he says Massey Energy continued to ignore safety violations to the point that one miner wrote a letter to his family and sealed it fearing he would not get out of the mine alive someday. He says Massey CEO Don Blankenship should be held criminally accountable. He says, “if there is any justice in America, US Marshalls should go to where he lives, get him, handcuff him, put him in chains, take him to jail, set his fine at $40 million.” Roberts says if the mine had been unionized the workers would have never gone into such an unsafe place but the workers at the upper big branch mine were too worried about losing their jobs to complain. THE UMWA had tried several times to unionize the mine but were unsuccessful. Roberts called on the unions that hold Massey stock in their pension programs to call for the ouster of Blankenship and the company’s board of directors.

Listen to Roberts address to the PA AFL-CIO

WV Gov: "The Journey has Ended"

Crews late Friday night found the bodies of 4 miners missing since Monday's explosion inside the Upper Big Branch Mine in Montcoal, West Virginia. That brings the death toll to 29 in the worst coal mine disaster in the U.S. since 1970 when 38 were killed at Finley Coal Company in Hyden, Kentucky.
According to West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin, crews found the bodies of the missing 4 miners near 18 others that had been spotted earlier this week. Crews didn't see the 4 earlier because of heavy dust and smoke. Now the task is to remove the bodies of 22 miners. There is no timetable. 7 had been recovered shortly after the explosion.
About 300 mourners packed a church yesterday for the funeral for Benny Willingham. He worked in the mines for 30 years and was a Vietnam War Veteran.

Meantime, Massey Energy says it will conduct extensive reviews of the explosion in the mine which is about 30 mines south of Charleston. The company's statement also responded to criticism about the safety record of the Upper Big Branch min which has been cited for numerous violations of federal rules. Massey says it does not condone any violation but the company also said the mine has less than one violation per day, which is about the national average.

Longwall Mining Protests

Outside a long wall Conference in Pittsburgh this morning, concerned protesters wore shirts that read "Coal is Dirty" and told stories of how this kind of mining is ruining lives, going beyond coal pollution. Lone Pine, a small town near Washington, Pennsylvania, has been impacted by longwall mining, a process that lets a mine to collapse after the coal is removed. Sometimes surface water flows are altered as well. Center for Coalfield Justice Board Member Diane Lindley says her elderly parents, after rebuilding a farmhouse in Lone Pine, had their property destroyed after a longwall mining excavation beneath their property in 2001. State law Act 54 allows longwall mining under roads and bridges with little notice to land owners. According to Coalfield Justice Director Raina Rippel, between mine subsidence risks and fewer workers needed, there is nothing good about longwall mining except to help companies make a quick buck.

Mine Safety Overhaul is Signed Into Law

Governor Ed Rendell is signing a new mining law today. It's considered to be the most comprehensive overhaul of state mining regulations in almost 50 years. Rendell says Pennsylvania law currently does not reflect technological advances in the mining industry. The legislation includes a new Mine Safety Board, which will have the power to create new regulations without the governor's or General Assembly's approval. The law also holds mine owners more accountable for accidents.

CONSOL CEO calls for more safety

While speaking to the Utah Mine safety commission CONSOL Energy CEO Brett Harvey called on the coal industry and all levels of government to work together to eliminate all coal mining accidents. Harvey told the commission that it is no longer possible to run the mining industry with the unspoken assumption that a certain number of accidents are inherent in the business of mining. He says CONSOL has launched programs that keep safety in the front of every workers mind and rewards employees for spotless safety records. At the same time Harvey warned that government can not look at high profile accidents and make new regulations based on those sets of circumstances and expect them to work in other mines that may be very different. He says a recent CONSOL study found that safety supervisors spend as much as 90-percent of their time dealing with regulators and government forms. He says that takes time away from being proactive and observing how workers are doing their jobs in an effort to find new ways to prevent accidents. He says his company is looking at ways to increase the number of safety officers in the system

Miners Train in Simulated Environment

Mine training has changed since accidents like the one that killed 12 miners in Sago, West Virginia. That mine explosion happened two years ago today. In Greene County, a training center for the United Mine Workers of America goes beyond what federal and state laws require.

The center has a simulated mine where trainees can experience what it's like to go underground. A new, larger simulated mine is expected to be ready by late this summer. The Executive Director of the training center, Clemmy Allen, says it may be the only one of its kind in the country. And he says this comes at a time mine owners are desperate for more workers. Many miners are retiring, and Allen acknowledges some people may shy away from the industry after hearing about Sago and other accidents. But he says the United States remains dependent on coal, and he doesn't think that will change in the near future, despite new attention to energy alternatives.