Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Mine Backlog Discussed
KENTUCKY & WEST VIRGINIA...
A hearing was called Tuesday to study possible solutions to a growing case backlog at the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission. Members of a congressional hearing of the House Education and Labor Committee were told that, in an effort to block tougher enforcement actions for repeat violations of safety citations and fines, mining companies formally challenged about 9,200 citations or fines issued by the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration in 2009, up from 2,400 new appeals in 2005. The spike came after Congress passed tougher mine safety legislation in 2006 following West Virginia’s Sago mine disaster. Mine safety enforcement regulators say the backlog has jumped from roughly 2,700 cases in 2006 to about 16,000 cases. Some Democrats claim mine operators are purposely clogging the system by contesting more violations, but the mining industry blames new regulations for eliminating more informal procedures to compromise penalties. Unresolved backlog at the Review Commission has grown to include 82,000 violations and $210 million in penalties.
A hearing was called Tuesday to study possible solutions to a growing case backlog at the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission. Members of a congressional hearing of the House Education and Labor Committee were told that, in an effort to block tougher enforcement actions for repeat violations of safety citations and fines, mining companies formally challenged about 9,200 citations or fines issued by the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration in 2009, up from 2,400 new appeals in 2005. The spike came after Congress passed tougher mine safety legislation in 2006 following West Virginia’s Sago mine disaster. Mine safety enforcement regulators say the backlog has jumped from roughly 2,700 cases in 2006 to about 16,000 cases. Some Democrats claim mine operators are purposely clogging the system by contesting more violations, but the mining industry blames new regulations for eliminating more informal procedures to compromise penalties. Unresolved backlog at the Review Commission has grown to include 82,000 violations and $210 million in penalties.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 8:58 PM 
