Headline news here in Utah this morning:
Crandall Canyon bombshell: Months before deadly cave-ins, owners knew of structural woes
All of our worst suspicions are confirmed true.
There were many fine diaries about the Crandall Canyon disaster last summer, and some followup on the Senate hearings in September. After months of little to no news, the good old Trib drops this bombshell.
Newly released meeting minutes show that, in the months before the Crandall Canyon mine disaster, its co-owners were dealing with serious structural problems, higher-than-expected costs and subpar coal, but were hopeful that plans approved by federal regulators would get things back on track.
Those plans hinged on extracting nearly all of the coal from the south barrier pillar, the 450-foot-thick coal wall that helped support the roof of the mine, where three months later the walls collapsed, entombing six miners.
The Salt Lake Tribune obtained minutes of four meetings in South Jordan between the mine's co-owners through an open-records request with the Los Angeles Division of Water and Power, a partner in Intermountain Power Agency (IPA), a co-owner of the mine.
Murray went to court to block the release of the records and pursued the case to the California Supreme Court, arguing the documents contained proprietary information. At each level, the courts rejected the argument and the high court refused a stay last week, allowing the city to release the heavily redacted records Tuesday.
Naturally, Bob Murray and his minions tried to prevent this information from getting out.
The timing is especially exquisite, since there is a new mining bill moving through congress which w* has already threatened to veto.
Text, News, and other Links Re: H.R.2768 Supplemental Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act of 2007
Statement of Administration Policy
The "S-MINER" bill would place in jeopardy meaningful achievements and efforts currently underway as a result of these measures. . . . The S-MINER bill also would fundamentally change the investigation of mining accidents and heopardize the abiliity to hold mine operators accountable for violations of mine safety regulations. ... If H.R. 2768 were presented to the President in its current form, the President's senior advisors would recommend he veto the bill.
We know that Bob Murray lied from the beginning of the Crandall Canyon disaster. We know that his 50% ownership is in a family-owned corporation. He stands to lose a lot.
We know there are 6 dead miners at the bottom of that mine. We know that 3 of them were from Mexico. We know there are 9 families learning to live without their husbands, fathers, bread-winners.
We know Bob Murray is a bit of a nut. We know he donates to Republicans. We know that MSHA isn't really safe. We know Elaine Chao cares more about mine owners than miners.
Now we know that the mine owners and MHSA put miners' safety at risk for the sake of profits. Now we know that indeed, there was retreat mining going on down there thousands of feet below ground. We know how much Bob Murray lied. And we know that w* just used chicanery to reappoint a goon: Mine Safety hack is out, and then he's right back in. (smitheus)
What we don't know is, why isn't Bob Murray in jail on criminal charges ? Where are the lawsuits of the families ? Why isn't Congress clamoring for the removal of Stickler ?
When will 9 dead miners and rescue workers have justice ?
w* : I believe the white house occupant does not deserve more than one letter of typing.