Coal news and updates

Tomblin to make decision this week on coal industry supported bill

Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin will likely decide this week whether to sign or veto the Coal Jobs Safety Act passed by the House of Delegates and state Senate.

The measure would realign current state mining laws and bring them into line with the standards set at the federal level by the Mine Safety and Health Administration.   Those who fought the measure have said it’s a weakening of protections for miners.  West Virginia Coal Association President Bill Raney disagrees.

“It is not that at all.  What it is a progressive recognition of the changing conditions in the way mines are today,” Raney said. “The last thing in the world anyone would ask is to jeopardize or minimize safety.”

Raney said the more stringent regulations which coal operators have to abide by in West Virginia makes a West Virginia mine more expensive to operate. Supporters argued during debate on the House and Senate floor those additional layers of safety added to cost, but didn’t add much to safety.

“We’re hopeful this is going to put us more in line and certainly on an even playing field with many of the surrounding states as well as with the federal government,” said Raney.

Representatives of the United Mine Workers and other organized labor disagree and believe lawmakers bent to the will of the coal industry and put profit before safety. They spoke against the bill at Saturday’s labor union rally at the state capitol.

Raney is hopeful Gov. Tomblin signs the bill.

“Governor Tomblin has always been very, very deliberate about mine safety. He’s not going to do anything to jeopardize the safety and we would never ask,” Raney said.

Lawmakers would have time to override the governor’s veto if he does so before the end of the regular session Saturday night.

source: http://wvmetronews.com