Mining

April 16, 2008 -- HARRISBURG - Following two separate mine explosions, the owner of a Schuylkill County mine, the mine's foreman and a miner were each arrested yesterday on involuntary manslaughter and other charges by the Attorney General's Office.

Attorney General Tom Corbett identified the defendants as:

* David Zimmerman, 52, 79 Mollystown Road, Pine Grove (mine owner and operator)
* Steven Zimmerman, 32, 77 Mollystown Road, Pine Grove (mine foreman)
* Jeffrey Klinger, 42, 2A West Laurel St., Tremont (miner)

Schuylkill County coal mine defendants: David Zimmerman, Steven Zimmerman and Jeffrey Klinger (left to right)    » read more »

Governor proclaims April 15, 2008, Mine Safety Day in Illinois

April 15, 2008 -- SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Governor Rod R. Blagojevich announced today that Illinois’ coal mine industry achieved a record fifth consecutive year without a fatality, a milestone never before achieved in Illinois.

Mine more coal sign, Pennsylvania: Photo by Mike Thomas (CC)

This achievement is a testament to increased safety measures over the last several years and the diligence of mine workers in Illinois to follow safety procedures. The Governor also proclaimed April 15, 2008, as Mine Safety Day in Illinois.    » read more »

April 12, 2008, Juneau, Alaska – Alaska Governor Palin today released a statement on a $25,000 budget request from some lawmakers to pay for state government dissemination of information related to mining. The funds would be used to allow state officials to inform the public about Alaska mining, the stringent permitting process already in place to govern mining, and to provide data on initiatives affecting those mining activities.

Independence Mine, Hatcher Pass, Alaska: An abandoned 19th century gold mine. Photo by Chris Boese (CC)

The Governor released the following statement:    » read more »

Prompt action to be taken to improve MSHA’s assessments process

02/04/2008, ARLINGTON, Va. — Richard E. Stickler, acting assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and health, today announced a comprehensive plan to ensure that fines are assessed for all safety and health violations issued by MSHA's coal and metal/nonmetal enforcement personnel. MSHA recently discovered that while 99.6 percent of all citations since 1995 have been properly assessed, less than one half of one percent have gone unassessed over this period of time.    » read more »

Helena, MT - 01/15/2008 - In the face of rising cleanup costs and an increase in mining claims in Montana, public officials, tribal leadership, sportsmen and ranchers today called on Senator Jon Tester and Senator Max Baucus, to reform the 135-year-old law that governs the mining of gold, uranium and other hardrock minerals on federal lands in Montana and other western states.    » read more »

January 15, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, DC— Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, released the following statement in anticipation of the House of Representatives taking up the Supplemental Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act this week.    » read more »

Albuquerque, NM - 01/10/2008 - In the face of a dramatic increases in new mining claims in New Mexico, state and county officials called on Senators Jeff Bingaman and Pete Domenici, leaders of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, to reform the 135-year-old law that governs the mining of gold, uranium and other hardrock minerals on federal lands in New Mexico and other western states.    » read more »