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U.S. Senators Robert C. Byrd and Jay Rockefeller, both D-W.Va., and family members of those involved in last year's Sago Mine tragedy were briefed separately by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) today on the results of the agency's investigation into the explosion that led to the deaths of 12 miners and left one critically injured. The Senators have been directly involved with efforts to find answers to the missteps that may have led to the explosion and have taken action to help remedy the problems within West Virginia's coal mines.
"While MSHA's report sheds more light on the tragic events at the Sago Mine, I remain troubled by the fact that eleven miners died because not enough was done beforehand to ensure their safety," Byrd said. "Although MSHA claims that lightning was the root cause of the explosion, we know that eleven miners perished because a lack of emergency preparedness by MSHA and the coal company. With more oxygen supplies and better communications equipment those miners could have survived."
"The report confirms that the lack of breathable air, reinforced ceilings and state-of-the-art communication devices contributed to the Sago tragedy. We may never know if lives could have been saved if MSHA had done a better job of oversight and enforcement or if the company had followed the law," Rockefeller said. "Lightning has been cited as one possible cause – but the fact is we do not have conclusive answers from this report. If lightning is the cause, that tells me MSHA must develop a plan for protecting miners underground from the potential results of lightning strikes."
MSHA's report does not cite the owner of the Sago Mine, International Coal Group (ICG), for any specific violations at the time of last year's explosion nor does it find any fault with the operator's lack of conducting emergency planning exercises. While the agency outlined many safety violations at the mine they did not directly blame ICG for any negligence that led to the tragedy. However, the state-appointed independent inspector looking into the Sago explosion and MSHA note that along with better access to oxygen and proper communication, better sealants could have helped to prevent this tragedy. Last week, President Bush vetoed supplemental legislation that contained funding Byrd secured to strengthen seals.
"We now have more information that will help us to determine the additional steps we need to take in order to make our coal mines safer," Byrd said. "But I remain concerned that our mines are still not equipped with the right tools that will help keep our miners out of harm's way should another explosion occur. Our hard-working miners must not be sent into an environment that could risk their health and well-being."
"From what we've learned, there were an unacceptable number of repeated health and safety violations in that mine," Rockefeller said. "Along with Senator Byrd, Congressman Rahall, the UMWA, and the families of the Sago miners who were killed, I will continue to fight tooth-and-nail to make sure that our miners work in the safest possible environment. MSHA must move swiftly to implement the remaining MINER Act's requirements to reassure miners, their families, and Congress that they will be more aggressive in their oversight."
The Senators are committed to enforcing the MINER Act, which they crafted and helped pass last year, and continuous oversight of MSHA in order to prevent future mining tragedies. As part of their ongoing oversight effort, Rockefeller and Byrd joined their Senate colleagues in a letter to Secretary Chao last month expressing their concern over the Department of Labor's insufficient implementation of the MINER Act. They have also sent an inquiry to MSHA asking for its plan to improve the nation's mine safety program after reviewing the agency's internal report on its performance after last year's tragedy at the Aracoma Alma Mine in Logan County, West Virginia.
"We stand with the families who lost loved ones at Sago and will do whatever we can to help remedy the wrongdoings at Sago so that mining families and communities in West Virginia do not have to suffer any more of these hardships," Byrd and Rockefeller said. ###
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