Not long ago people were dismayed to find out that neither Massey Energy nor Alpha Natural Resources (which purchased Massey Energy in 2011) would be charged in the 29 deaths at Upper Big Branch Mine in 2010.
At the time I felt confident that mine executives would be charged and indeed another executive has been charged as the investigation winds its way up the corporate ladder.
From the Huff Post's John Rudolph:
Federal prosecutors in West Virginia filed criminal charges on Wednesday against a former senior supervisor of the Upper Big Branch coal mine, where an explosion killed 29 miners in April 2010.
I could mix this up with other quotes from other sources, but I will just include two more quotes from the Huff Post article:
Gary May, 43, was charged with felony conspiracy for what prosecutors said was his role in thwarting federal inspectors in their efforts to enforce safety regulations at Upper Big Branch.
and, most significantly:
The charges were filed directly with the court, rather than with a grand jury, suggesting that May is cooperating with authorities. May, the highest-ranking mine official charged so far, faces up to five years in prison if found guilty. Prosecutors said the investigation is "absolutely" not over.
May's testimony could implicate high-ranking corporate executives at Massey Energy in safety violations and fraud, including Don. L. Blankenship, the company's former CEO, said Mark D. Moreland, a West Virginia attorney who represents several families of miners who died at Upper Big Branch.
I fully expect that now Romney and Santorum will attack the Obama Administration for trying to kill the coal industry.
This should be viewed as a victory for coal miners and their unions and there will probably be more good news to come. Blankenship is the worst of the worst when it comes to the environment and workers' rights.
12:16 PM PT: Update 1: excellent article at Coal Tattoo
http://blogs.wvgazette.com/...