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June 15, 2007

Byrd Presses for Action on MINER Act

To mark the first anniversary of the MINER Act, U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., pressed the government’s top mine safety official this week  about implementation of the new federal mine safety law’s standards.

"We have seen some progress, but too many delays.  The longer there are delays in implementing the new federal standards, the longer coal miners’ lives are placed needlessly at risk," Byrd said.

The MINER Act was crafted in response to the string of deadly coal mining incidents in early 2006, including the Sago explosion in Upshur County and the Aracoma Alma fire in Logan County.  Byrd and Senator Jay Rockefeller, also D-W.Va., were part of a bipartisan coalition that wrote and helped to pass the legislation. The MINER Act, which President Bush signed into law on June 15, 2006, promotes increased mine safety, better enforcement, and faster rescue in case tragedy strikes.

Since the law’s enactment, there have been significant questions raised by coal miners and their families about the slow pace of improvements underground.   The West Virginia lawmaker pressed Stickler for an update on emergency response plans, including the installation of advanced communications systems and oxygen supplies.  Despite a condition in the MINER Act that requires two Self-Contained, Self-Rescuers (SCSRs) for every coal miner, Stickler wrote Byrd in March 2007 that only two out of three miners nationwide are able to access two of these lifesaving devices.  

Stickler told Byrd that 85 percent of Emergency Response Plans have been fully approved by MSHA, and that manufacturing delays have stalled the implementation of the oxygen requirements of the MINER Act.  According to Stickler, the delays will be cleared by the end of the year and MSHA will be able to meet the guidelines of the legislation.  Byrd reaffirmed his pledge to the miners and their families that he will hold MSHA accountable to implement, in a timely manner, all provisions in the MINER Act. 

Byrd also asked about MSHA’s emergency temporary standard on seals.  He wanted to know what MSHA planned to do with the weaker seals that had been installed before MSHA issued that tougher standard.  

"We’re gambling with the lives of our miners underground when it comes to seals.  The Coal Act says explosion-proof, and that is the standard that MSHA ought to be abiding by," Byrd said. “MSHA should fully adopt the recommendations NIOSH proposed earlier this year. We must not ignore the critical role seals play in protecting our miners from dangerous and unexpected blasts.”

Stickler also told Byrd to expect MSHA’s internal reviews of the Sago and Alma tragedies before the end of the month.   Byrd is planning to closely review the reports and look for key details that will help further explain the explosions that unnecessarily claimed the lives of fourteen  West Virginia miners.  

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