Posted on 08/16/2007 6:55:18 PM PDT by Smogger
Two medical helicopters enroute to Utah mine after report of new collapse
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
Strange... He’s the source for the “illegal” report.
_________________________________
Art Bell?
First I read it was online somewhere.
What a nightmare up on that mountain..
Oh no.
I am watching MSNBC and Dan hasn’t reported that yet.
TANKS,,,I’m losing count...
Wikipedia take it for what it worth and you don’t know if the Unions are editing some of these things!
Mining safety
Murray Energy’s mines have been cited by the Mine Safety and Health Administration for thousands of safety violations and fined millions of dollars.[11] Since 2005, Murray Energy’s Galatia mine in Saline County, Illinois has incurred over 2,700 citations and $2.4 million in proposed fines. However, a spokesman for the United Mining Workers organization said of Murray’s record, “[G]enerally speaking, it’s not particularly better or particularly worse than any other mine operator in the country.”[4]
The Crandall Canyon Mine in Utah has received 64 violations and $12,000 in fines, which is a relatively good safety record and on par with similar-sized mines throughout the country.[3][12][10] Murray says that the safety violations were trivial and included violations such as not having enough toilet paper in the restroom.[3] Although retreat mining is believed by some observers to be a cause of the mine’s 2007 collapse, Murray insists the process was not responsible.[13]
[edit] Political activity
In addition to serving on the board of directors of the National Mining Association, Murray actively lobbies for pro-industry legislation through his company’s Political Action Committee. In 2001, he testified on behalf of the NMA before a House Ways and Means subcommittee in favor of proposed tax cuts.
Since 2005, the Murray Energy PAC has donated over $150,000 to Republican candidates, including donations totaling $30,000 to Senate candidates such as George Allen, Sam Brownback, and Katherine Harris.[14] The Ohio Valley Coal PAC, another group affiliated with Murray Energy, donated $10,000 for George W. Bush’s 2000 Presidential campaign.[14]
In the wake of 2006’s Sago Mine disaster, lawmakers in West Virginia and Ohio proposed legislation requiring mine workers to wear emergency tracking devices. Murray lobbied against the laws, calling them “extremely misguided.”[10] He said that politicians were rushing to pass laws and thus “playing politics with the safety of my employees.” He said that rather than create “knee-jerk” state laws after the disaster, such as in the case of West Virginia, which passed the law in less than one day after it was proposed, the federal government should host a panel which would study the industry and make recommendations for safety measures.[1] He claimed that the federal government should be involved for uniform standards and because tension between unions and companies created difficulty in reaching private agreement on safety standards. Murray maintained that the personal tracking devices to be mandated in the state laws, called PEDs, did not work under certain common mining conditions (such as below 600 feet in depth), and better devices needed to be developed in order to effectively guard miners in case of accident. He said, “The will is there. Unfortunately, the technology isn’t.”[1] Murray said that he supported federal mandates for drug testing and fire prevention.[1] Murray said in 2006, “I worked in the mines for 10 years. No pound of coal is worth a man getting hurt over.... The day I think I’m more important than the person that mines the coal, that’s the day I should retire. But I don’t intend to.”[1]
That settles it, then.
Thanks for the info, are we sure none are trapped?
It is odd that we haven't heard from him, and the more I think about it, he is one of the most likely people there to find himself in need of CPR. God I hope that isn't the case. This whole thing is quite possibly going to get a lot worse before it gets any better.
Now everyone can get off my case about my opinion of the guy. It is only based on his performance at the microphone, and I am sure there is a lot more to him than that.
Thanks for the updates. I’ll keep an eye out for your posts.
Prayers up for everyone concerned.
It is reported as unconfirmed by Fox News.
• Little was known about the six miners; only one has been identified. The Mexican Consulate in Salt Lake City said three of the men are Mexican citizens.
• Some of the miners’ families may be illegal immigrants. Barbara Stinson Lee, spokeswoman for the diocese of Salt Lake City, asked photographers not to take pictures of families attending a Mass Tuesday night. “It is a request from the families that there be no photographs. It’s not grief. It’s an immigration issue. They don’t need pictures on the front page of newspapers,” Lee said.
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_5663448,00.html
Article about Mexican miner’s immigration status. Not definative ... from the International Herald Tribune:
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/08/09/america/NA-GEN-US-Mine-Collapse-Immigrants.php
“Long ways from Utah, by my map.”
Yeah, I guess people in Ohio don’t know what’s going on with the rest of the world. You’re right.
Ditto that!
And everyone get off my case too!
The governor is on his way to the hospital to meet with families..
Thanks.
Dan just said one died.
Good, he wasn’t down in the mine. Now, to concentrate on the newly injured miners and wait for the next news conference.
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