Monday, April 26, 2010
Massey News Conference
WEST VIRGINIA....
Reporters from across the country gathered at the Charleston Civic Center Monday to question Massey Energy officials about the April 5th explosion at the Upper Big Branch Mine. According to Massey board member Stan Suboleski, MSHA and Massey had a professional disagreement, dating back to September 2009, over the proper way to ventilate the longwall section where an explosion killed 29 coal miners. Massey says MSHA had the final say. Massey officials caution however, it's unclear if ventilation had anything to do with the fatal explosion. Suboleski said samples taken by a foreman as part of a shift change just minutes before the blast showed that airflow in the mine was normal...did not show high levels of methane or other gases.
During the news conference, retired Navy Admiral Bobby Inman, a member of the Massey Energy Board of Directors, called a claim that his company puts profits ahead of safety "The Big Lie." He says the first time the allegation was raised was by a plaintiff's attorney, and the next four times such a claim was made were twice by the president of the AFL-CIO, once by United Mine Workers President Cecil Roberts, and finally by President Barrack Obama. Inman says Massey has spent more than $45 million on safety features in its mines above what is required by the Mine Safety and Health Administration. Don Blankenship, Massey Chairman and CEO, added to those comments by saying Massey has actually been a leader in the coal mining industry with researching improved safety methods while their engineers helped develop safety technology in the last 20 years from everything from air flow to the reflective clothing worn by miners. Blankenship said, "All of those innovations came from Massey and 20 years of effort to put safety in front of everything else. Anyone that suggests anything to the contrary is totally wrong."
Reporters from across the country gathered at the Charleston Civic Center Monday to question Massey Energy officials about the April 5th explosion at the Upper Big Branch Mine. According to Massey board member Stan Suboleski, MSHA and Massey had a professional disagreement, dating back to September 2009, over the proper way to ventilate the longwall section where an explosion killed 29 coal miners. Massey says MSHA had the final say. Massey officials caution however, it's unclear if ventilation had anything to do with the fatal explosion. Suboleski said samples taken by a foreman as part of a shift change just minutes before the blast showed that airflow in the mine was normal...did not show high levels of methane or other gases.
During the news conference, retired Navy Admiral Bobby Inman, a member of the Massey Energy Board of Directors, called a claim that his company puts profits ahead of safety "The Big Lie." He says the first time the allegation was raised was by a plaintiff's attorney, and the next four times such a claim was made were twice by the president of the AFL-CIO, once by United Mine Workers President Cecil Roberts, and finally by President Barrack Obama. Inman says Massey has spent more than $45 million on safety features in its mines above what is required by the Mine Safety and Health Administration. Don Blankenship, Massey Chairman and CEO, added to those comments by saying Massey has actually been a leader in the coal mining industry with researching improved safety methods while their engineers helped develop safety technology in the last 20 years from everything from air flow to the reflective clothing worn by miners. Blankenship said, "All of those innovations came from Massey and 20 years of effort to put safety in front of everything else. Anyone that suggests anything to the contrary is totally wrong."
# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:57 PM 
