Posted on 02/01/2006 6:13:55 PM PST by Indy Pendance
CHARLESTON, West Virginia (Reuters) - West Virginia closed all coal mining operations in the state for safety checks on Wednesday after a series of accidents that killed 16 miners in the last month.
West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin announced the shutdown after three separate mine accidents in the state on Wednesday that left two miners dead and others injured.
"As a result of these three incidents, all of which occurred within just the last few hours, I am calling on the industry to cease production activities immediately and go into a mine safety stand down," the Democratic governor told reporters at the state capital.
In Washington, the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration called for coal mines across the country to take one hour before the start of each regular work shift this Monday to discuss hazards and safeguards that need to be taken in a national safety "stand down."
The spate of West Virginia mining disasters began on January 2 when 12 miners perished in a blast at International Coal Group's Sago mine in Tallmansville in the state's worst mining disaster since 1968.
Manchin said on Wednesday he had ordered the immediate inspection of every coal mine in the state and was contacting federal officials to help.
The West Virginia Coal Association, a coalition of mine owners who employ more than 35,000 people, said it supported the governor's action and estimated it could take nearly two weeks to inspect every mine.
"We embrace his call for this stand down and hopefully it will provide some good results," said Chris Hamilton, senior vice president of the group. "There will be a lot of lost revenue but if it saves one accident, it will be worth it."
The United States has the world's largest coal reserves, and West Virginia is one of the nation's biggest producers, mining nearly half a million tons a day.
Coal is used to produce more than 50 percent of U.S. electricity.
On Wednesday, one miner was killed at Boone County's Long Branch No. 18 Mine when a safety wall fell. At the Black Castle surface mine, also in Boone County, a bulldozer operator struck a natural gas line, starting a fire that killed him.
A third accident resulted in minor injuries in Kanawha County at a Kanawha Eagle Coal Company mine. No further details were immediately available.
On January 21 two miners were found dead after a fire at the Massey Energy-owned Aracoma mine in Melville.
SAFETY LAW
"Today has once again been a difficult day for our state's miners, their families and our mining industry," said Manchin, who last month steered new safety measures into law.
The new law requires a 24-hour mine accident hot line to mobilize rescue teams immediately, locater devices for miners and additional oxygen supplies placed underground. It also calls for mines to have a lifeline with reflective markings to lead miners to oxygen caches and hopefully out of a mine after an accident.
"My office is also in the process of filing emergency rules tonight that are the next step in implementing the mine safety legislation that was passed by the legislature last week," Manchin said.
Energy traders said an extended shutdown of West Virginia mines could put upward pressure on other energy prices, particularly natural gas which is also used by utilities to produce power.
"The energy market is still nervous, and a move such as this is likely to provide continuing support to alternative fuels like oil or natural gas. This is not bearish news," said Jay Levine at enerjay LLC, an energy brokerage and consulting firm based in Maine.
In overnight trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange, natural gas futures prices shot up about 35 cents to $9.07 per million British thermal units on news of the mining halt.
Here in southern NH, I see the coal cars lined up on the freight trains, going to the Bow generating plant. So what has Senator Byrd (D) been doing for W.Va. coal miners during his 50+ year tenure?
When does the governor shut down the highways?
i'm all for safety but this seems a tad dramatic.
If they'd figure out a way to stop Byrd's palsy, then maybe their mines would quit getting rattled and collapsing.
Yep. Close all interstate highways, we had a death on one of them yesterday.
Well, at least Manchin is doing something more than talking which is unusual for a Democrat. It does not seem like it would all to difficult to install those safety areas like they had in the Potash mine in Saskatchewan. Places with O2 canisters and other supplies for miners to wait until rescue can get to them. I mean crimony when you are in a theatre or any public building lighted "exit" signs are required.
It is all fun and games until a few million Yankees freeze their @sses off. Lucky for them it is a mild winter.
Brilliant! put huge stores of oxygen in a coal mine. Nothing bad could happen here..........
Strip mine. Build golf courses after you fill the pit with Yankee garbage that they barge down.
O2 canisters and better communications when they are underground. Not alot to ask...bravo for Manchin.
Shut em down permanently------Good--they are dangerous and anachronistic.
The safe mines out west are above ground and fulfill our needs.
The plutocrat Rockefeller and Sheets Byrd should be thrown out ASAP!
I can just see it now...what happens to an Oxygen tank in a fire or explosion? Miners who would have survived would be killed in the (more intense) fire or hit with shrapnel. Oxygen tanks in an enclosed area with a risk of fire are not a good idea.
I commend governor Manchin. Quick fixes tend to be ill conceived. Screw the tree huggers. One human life is worth 1,000,000 acres of trees. We can grow more trees. If snail darters and spotted owls are destined for the ash heap, so be it. I do not see anyone demanding the dismantling of the Hoover Dam.
I commend governor Manchin.
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Me too, and I voted for him too. (Will I get banned for saying that?) He is one democrat I could vote for for president. I like what I see so far. That may change, but he's cut taxes, not a lot, but it's a start. He has the spine to do something he believes is the right thing to do (this shutdown). And he's pro-life to boot.
I voted for him too. He was a much better candidate than any of the GOP candidates. I've not been disappointed in him . He seems to be genuine and I've met and talked to him privately. I wish he would switch parties. His pro-union connections may be why he does not.
Things have really gone to pot during the GWB years, haven't they. More and I agree with GWB that President Clinton is one of my favorite persons.
Oh, I agree, things are terrible during Bush's reign of terror. It's almost communist. Too bad you can't cheer on more deaths. Pity. It's all Bush's fault for mismanagement of a company in WV. He should be dictator of the world, then bad things will happen equally everywhere!
That could create quite a fire; there's probably no better way to get a large amount of coal burning as fast as possible.
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