Chairman Miller Statement on Emergency Rule on Mine Seals

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

WASHINGTON, DC -- Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, released the following statement today on the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration’s issuance of an emergency temporary standard to strengthen mine seals.

“MSHA has finally responded to repeated requests for it to act, and we are going to be very sure that this time the intent of the Congress will be fully implemented. We will review the emergency temporary standard to make sure it meets the criterion of providing an explosion-proof seal for underground mines as required by the 1969 Coal Act and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health testing.  

“As the tragedies of last year proved, the old standard was woefully inadequate to protect miners, and this emergency standard is long overdue.  Congress established MSHA to protect the health and safety of miners, and the agency should move more quickly to address serious threats facing miners.”

Mine seals block off unused portions of an underground mine and are supposed to be explosion-proof.  The mine seals at both the Sago and Darby mine explosions last year were easily breached.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Tom Kiley / Rachel Racusen
2181 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
202-226-0853