Handling of mine disaster questioned

[kurth]

Handling of mine disaster questioned
By JENNIFER TALHELM, Associated Press Writer
2 hours, 9 minutes ago

The government agency overseeing coal mine safety was supposed to have changed its ways after West Virginia's deadly Sago Mine disaster. Its handling of the cave-ins at Utah's Crandall Canyon Mine have some worried that the changes didn't go far enough. Government officials on Friday indefinitely halted their attempts to dig to six miners trapped since Aug. 6, after a cave-in Thursday night killed three rescuers and injured six others. House Education and Labor Committee chairman Rep. George Miller and Rep. Lynn Woolsey, both California Democrats, vowed to convene hearings about the disaster "at the appropriate time," and Utah lawmakers also promised tough questions...

Mine Safety and Health Administration director Richard Stickler had already come under fire for being slow to take public control of the scene. Even though Stickler's agency is supposed to be in charge, the mine's colorful co-owner, Bob Murray, has dominated news conferences, narrated video of rescue efforts for TV news and — despite safety concerns — personally led reporters and family members on a tour of his mine.

The fact that MSHA let anyone, including rescuers, into the still-dangerous mine is raising new questions. Others also predict greater scrutiny of the agency's decision to allow mining at Crandall Canyon at all, given what it knew about conditions that made the mine particularly unstable... Three high-profile accidents, including Sago, where 12 of 13 miners were killed, helped make 2006 the deadliest for coal mining in 11 years. The 47 deaths that year triggered sweeping changes to the nation's coal mining laws.

Observers of the Crandall Canyon accident have criticized MSHA for not heeding a key provision of the new, post-Sago law, which requires the government to be the primary communicator with the mine operator, the media and the public when an accident occurs. The goal was to prevent a repeat of the confusing and conflicting information that was given at Sago... Observers say they have heard echoes of Sago in the way Murray has upstaged Stickler at news conferences since the first day. Lawmakers have noted that it took MSHA at least two days to take public control of the scene. Others were irate that Murray was allowed to publicly predict success — and contradict MSHA itself — while agency officials quietly looked on. For example, Murray has insisted that an earthquake caused the initial collapse, while government seismologists say the ground shaking was caused by the cave-in itself...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070818/ap_on_go_ot/utah_mine_collapse_oversight;_ylt=Ap8ZOCtf2yW5XRj9AerJV5Ss0NUE

[bluerum]

1. more bush world reality show government fucking things up for everyone.

[SoCalDem]

2. FINALLY !!!!

I was appalled that Ole "Bob" kept grabbing the microphone,, When a United plane crashes, you don't see the president of United doing all the press conferences..

That old coot yelled EARTHQUAKE (i.e. act of GAWD) from the first minute.. :puke:

The OWNERS should not be ALLOWED to hold press conferences.. I want to see an INDEPENDENT mine safety person up there giving FACTS..not SPIN.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

3. "The OWNERS should not be ALLOWED to hold press conferences.."

First Amendment no good anymore?

[SoCalDem]

4. Not as the SOLE spokesperson about the event..

I was not clear..sorry..

[mahatmakanejeeves]

5. First Amendment Question

AP Enterprise: Critics question government handling of Utah mine disaster

Mine Safety and Health Administration director Richard Stickler had already come under fire for being slow to take public control of the scene.

Even though Stickler's agency is supposed to be in charge, the mine's colorful co-owner, Bob Murray, has dominated news conferences, narrated video of rescue efforts for TV news and — despite safety concerns — personally led reporters and family members on a tour of his mine.
....

Observers of the Crandall Canyon accident have criticized MSHA for not heeding a key provision of the new, post-Sago law, which requires the government to be the primary communicator with the mine operator, the media and the public when an accident occurs.

The goal was to prevent a repeat of the confusing and conflicting information that was given at Sago. After anxious hours of waiting for a rescue there, family members were told their loved ones were found alive — only to be told three hours later that all but one were dead.

Whatever happened to "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances?"

Yes, this is a regulation and not a law, but the First Amendment is still in effect, is it not? Whether you like him or not, surely the government cannot require Bob Murray to shut up. Or has that changed now too?

[bluerum]

7. It has not changed but he has lied and mis-informed since day1. Surely there

should be some penalty for knowingly manipulating the media and deceiving the public - even if it is simple censorship.

The media is also at fault for being foolishly manipulated by someone who was obviously trying to appear "in charge" and magnanimous. The big daddy with a big heart as it were.

Fact is he killed those men just as sure as if he put a gun to their heads and pulled the trigger.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

8. "... there should be some penalty ... - even if it is simple censorship."

Wow, that didn't take long.

Nat Hentoff, about the time he was kicked out of the ACLU for opposing abortion, said it best: "The cure for free speech is more free speech.

[bluerum]

9. And I spoke. The guy is flotsam. You listen to him. I can't. eom

[Heidi]

6. Kick.

:kick: