Tag: Coal Mine Safety

Manchin Bill Would Protect Whistleblowers in Unsafe W.Va. Mines

Senator Joe Manchin and Pennsylvania Democratic Senator Bob Casey have introduced comprehensive mine safety legislation to Congress.The Senators say ‘The…

Senator Joe Manchin and Pennsylvania Democratic Senator Bob Casey have introduced comprehensive mine safety legislation to Congress.

The Senators say ‘The Robert C. Byrd Mine Safety Protection Act of 2015’ will help fix a broken regulatory system.

The bill aims to close loopholes in the 1952 Federal Coal Mine Safety Act and strengthen the Mine Safety and Health Administration’s ability to enforce the rules creates in the law.

Changes include making it a felony for mine operators to knowingly violate safety standards and increases penalties for being in violation of the standards from $70,000 to $220,000. 

The legislation would also protect miners who refuse to work in unsafe conditions and extend whistleblower protections to those who report safety violations.

In a press release Thursday, Manchin said it is critical to continue to improve safety standards so miners’ lives are not put in jeopardy. A strong mining industry, he said, begins with a strong commitment to miners.

The legislation comes in response to the 2010 Upper Big Branch Mine Disaster, which killed 29 men. Massey CEO Don Blankenship, the mine’s owner, will face federal charges in July over safety violations connected to the mine explosion.

One Dead, Two Injured in Marshall Co. Mine

Update March 9, 2015 8:58 a.m. Spokesperson of the West Virginia Office of Miner's Health Safety and Training, Leslie Smithson says one miner died and two…

Update March 9, 2015 8:58 a.m.

Spokesperson of the West Virginia Office of Miner’s Health Safety and Training, Leslie Smithson says one miner died and two others were injured in an accident on Sunday night.

Smithson reports that the injuries happened at the McElroy Mine in Marshall County. Forty-five-year-old Assistant Longwall Coordinator John M. Garloch died in  after a roof collapsed, according to initial reports. In an email, Monday morning, Smithson said two other miners were injured and transported to local hospitals for treatment. One of those miners has been released; the other remains hospitalized.
 

Original Post: Sunday, March 8 at 11:20 p.m.

One miner has died and two others have been injured in a coal mine in West Virginia’s northern panhandle.

WTRF-TV reports that the miner died in a Marshall County Mine Cameron Portal owned by Murray Energy. The report says a roof and wall collapsed in the mine.

Leslie Smithson with the with the West Virginia Office of Miner’s Health Safety and Training could not confirm much Sunday night.

In an email, Smithson  said, “We have received notification of an incident at the McElroy Mine in Marshall County. Inspectors are on-site. No other information at this time. Will update as we receive more information.”

State Board of Education Holds Emergency Meeting Over Common Core Repeal

At the legislature today, the senate passes the Governor’s bill to reform the state’s juvenile justice system.  Senators from both sides of the aisle praise the bill they say will mend troubled kids and their families.  A public hearing this morning brings out the issue of discrimination against the LGBT community in West Virginia.  And the State Board of Education held an emergency meeting Friday to discuss  a bill they say could cause substantial harm to students, teachers, and school systems in the state.  We’ll find out more on The Legislature Today.

Senate Takes Back the Charter Schools Bill

At the legislature today, bills are read in their entirety on the Senate floor as Democrats retaliate for action on the charter schools bill.  In the House, the Judiciary committee begins to consider amendments to the Coal Mine Safety and Jobs Act.  And, we’ll get a first look at a new documentary about one of West Virginia’s most notable politicians on The Legislature Today.

Mine Safety Discussed in the House

Lawmakers voted to approve several pieces of legislation including the Coal Jobs and Safety Act. Ashton Marra will bring us up to date on this, along with…

Lawmakers voted to approve several pieces of legislation including the Coal Jobs and Safety Act. Ashton Marra will bring us up to date on this, along with other stories on this West Virginia Morning.

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