Bush crony, in charge of mine safety. Can we expect any less?

[splat@14]

David Lauriski: Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety





Shortly after taking office, Lauriski bragged to a group of coal industry executives that his regulatory agenda "is quite a bit shorter than some past agendas." Indeed, death warrants usually tend towards brevity. Part of Lauriski's abbreviated agenda is to reduce the number of times a mining company has to sample coal dust levels inside the tunnels, a move that is certain to increase incidence of black lung disease. And yes, Lauriski wants to get rid of the chest X-ray program that tests miners for black lung disease. Lauriski also wants to slash the number of mine inspectors by 25 percent.

http://eatthestate.org/07-05/NaturePolitics.htm
http://www.oldamericancentury.org/bushco/cronyism.htm

[Greeby]

1. Ladies and Gentleman, meet the new Brownie

:puke:

[Justitia]

2. I'm sure those miners' families appreciate his regulatory slashing

right about now. Who knows the cause to be determined, but reducing safety oversight NEVER helps.

Thank you Bush and all your rethuglican cronies!!!
I'm sure someone saved a buck or two on his recommendations.
:mad:

[troubleinwinter]

3. Isn't high coal dust level a fire hazard?

I know nothing of the subject.

[ohio_liberal]

6. Yes, absolutely

Coal dust and loose coal have to be cleaned away regularly to prevent combustion.

[leftchick]

21. yes it is...

and it is suspect in this particular explosion. I had a grandfather who worked the coal mines in PA for 35 years. Sadly he died a horrible death from Black Lung diease. :(

[ohio_liberal]

22. My aunt's mother died of it as well, from handling her husband's clothing

My sympathies to you :hug:

[KittyWampus]

38. thanks for the info on coal dust. Noone in my family has an experience

with any of this.

[EFerrari]

4. As Jon Stewart says, Bush only knows three people. lol n/t

[ohio_liberal]

5. Oh what a shocker

And that mine has a history of accumulated coal dust that can cause explosions.

[biscotti]

7. Mine cited for safety issues

The Sago Mine, owned by International Coal Group since last March, was also cited by MSHA for 208 alleged violations of federal mine safety regulations in 2005, up from 68 in 2004. Less than half of the 2005 citations, 96, were considered "significant and substantial'' by inspectors. MSHA issued 46 of the citations during an 11-week review at the mine that ended Dec. 22.

http://www.dailymail.com/news/News/2006010331/

[BobRossi]

8. Lauriski resigned in 2004

David Lauriski Resigns as MSHA Administrator - 11/15/2004

November 19 will be the last day David Lauriski spends as assistant secretary of Labor – Mine Safety and Health Administration. There is no word yet on whether Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao or OSHA Administrator John Henshaw plan to continue in their positions during President George W. Bush's second term.

http://www.occupationalhazards.com/articles/12615

[splat@14]

24. Thanks, I didn't see that. I'm sure he left a legacy!

[Stephanie]

26. Oh - so this post is moot.

Well let's see who's in charge now.

[Stephanie]

28. looks like they have a temp in there - haven't appointed replacement yet

http://www.msha.gov/asinfo.htm

Information About the Acting Assistant Secretary

David G. Dye, Acting Assistant Secretary for MSHA David G. Dye came to the U.S. Department of Labor in June 2001, where he served as deputy assistant secretary for the Employment and Training Administration. He later served at MSHA as its deputy assistant secretary for policy beginning in May 2004.

Previously, he worked in separate assignments as chief counsel to the House Resources Committee, the House Agriculture Committee, and the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Before that, Dye served as counsel to the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. Later, he worked as director of external affairs for the U.S. Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration and as counsel to the chairman of the Federal Maritime Commission.

Before coming to Washington, Dye served as the professional staff to two committees of the Alaska Senate-as special assistant to Alaska's lieutenant governor and as a regional and urban planner with the Alaska Department of Community and Regional Affairs.

Dye received his bachelor of arts degree from the University of Texas at Austin in 1970. He graduated from the Franklin Pierce Law Center in Concord, N.H., in 1979.

[Dongfang Hong]

9. Bush crony?

Where do we see that? He may be a whore, but where's the crony connection?

[splat@14]

23. Link attached.

http://www.oldamericancentury.org/bushco/cronyism.htm

[Dongfang Hong]

35. Thanks

[Jeanette in FL]

10. I heard that he is doing a "heckova" job

I wonder if he was able to get a 25% reduction in mine inspectors.

[ClintonTyree]

11. This was the first thing I thought about..........

when I originally saw the story. I knew that bush cronies had lowered safety guidelines (as in everything else) and I'm curious if these cutbacks were a decisive factor in the explosion itself. I guess we'll have to wait for the white-washed report to come out, won't we? :eyes: I'm sure there won't be any proof of wrong-doing, as usual when bush cronies are allowed to investigate themselves.

[ohio_liberal]

12. Safety guidelines bedamned

Miners are working under very frightening circumstances. I wrote in another thread that my uncle is a coal miner. He tells us frequently about corporate management that tries all the time to cut back on safety in order to increase production. They get fined, that's it. And that's only if they get caught. It's not like there are a lot of mineworker whistleblowers. They're all afraid to lose their jobs. And I'm talking about a union mine here. God only knows what the non-union folks have to deal with.

[ClintonTyree]

15. It's a damned tough life.........

and the only job many can get in those areas. The corporate bosses know they have the miners over a barrel and like you said, IF they get caught it's only a fine. Shutting down the mine until they comply with safety aspects is not an option. They'll just leave the area and mine coal somewhere else and start the same dangerous process all over again.
It sucks. No one should have to work under those conditions but the Coal Companies contribute heavily to the Republican party. Guess who gets to make and enforce the rules?

[ohio_liberal]

20. It's tough now to even get a union job in coal mining, especially in WV

The union guys are happy to make around $50,000-$60,000 in an incredibly dangerous profession, often working mandatory 10-12 hr days because the company doesn't want to pay benefits for new employees. If you want to be a coal miner in WV these days, chances are you're going to work for a non-union mine at a substantially lower pay rate.

I went down into a longwall mining operation with one of my neighbors when I was a teenager. There's no freaking way I could do that every day. After an hour I was all but hyperventilating and begging to be taken back up. *shudder*

[NoAmericanTaliban]

32. Fines are a joke..

they are usually $250 per incident when they are enforced. It is cheaper for the mining companies to pay the fines than to fix the problems. This is part of the 'small gov't' the GOP likes. Gov't gets in the way of profits. Let the companies audit & inpect themselves -- trust them.

[Justitia]

13. Geez, it's even worse than you thought....

Apparently Lauriski resigned over a yr ago (Nov 2004), to "spend more time w/his family", and was replaced by this guy (David Dye):

http://www.msha.gov/MEDIA/PRESS/2004/NR041119.asp

At least Lauriski had actual mine experience.

Dye's career seems to be 100% bureaucratic lawyer.

Egads.

****I needed to correct / edit my post - Lauriski's direct replacement was Dye, not Snare.
However, their backgrounds are not much different, so my conclusions are the same.

[ohio_liberal]

14. OMFG

I'm completely speechless. :wow:

[ClintonTyree]

17. If the Corporate Media covers this........

I'll be surprised. Another bush crony in charge of something he's not remotely qualified for. What are the chances? :eyes:
This should be yet another nail in bush's political coffin, but I doubt the story will ever be told. The Corporate Media will see to that!

[ohio_liberal]

16. Just an additional bit of information

The company that owns this mine boasts, "Our entire workforce is union free"

[splat@14]

25. Walmart runs mines too?

[splat@14]

27. Does the Boich family have any $$ in the WV mine? See link.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=172x10247

[ohio_liberal]

30. I dunno

ICG, Inc. just had a public stock offering last month. I don't know who bought in. I looked at their website and I don't see any Boiches on the board of directors or executives.

[BushOut06]

18. How long before he starts blaming the governor?

[Stephanie]

19. k&r

let's get it on the homepage please

[Skidmore]

29. Remember during the Pennsylvania mining accident there was

something about fraud and hiding underground mapping of mines? Who did that?

[ohio_liberal]

31. The maps used at Quecreek were undated and uncertified

That mine was owned by Black Wolf Coal Co.

edited to add:

Those maps were found later to be drawn up in 1957, 10 years before the second mine that those PA miners accidentally tapped into ceased operation. Just completely outdated maps.

[pat_k]

33. Worse than Brownie -- A fox guarding the hen house

Lauriski is a 30 year veteran of the mining industry.

Washington Post November 16, 2004
Mining Safety Rules Got the Shaft, Workers Union Says

...Among the regulatory proposals no longer being worked on, some of them spanning years and administrations, are those addressing safety issues with self-rescue respiratory devices for miners, the shortage of mine rescue teams, problems with huge trucks that are the leading cause of mine fatalities, fire-resistant conveyer belts in mines, and improved air quality rules....

And then we have Lauriski's Orwellian statement:

David D. Lauriski, the assistant secretary of Labor in charge of MSHA, declined requests for an interview. In a written statement he said: "Priorities change in every administration and year to year our priorities have been and will be focused on improving the safety and health of miners."

[kiteinthewind]

34. I wonder why Lauriski left?

Ya think he might have wanted to abandon before the ship sinks? :evilgrin:

[lpbk2713]

36. Was this clown a horse show commissioner pre-BFEE also?

Or was he even on that high a level?

Maybe he cleaned out the stables.

It wouldn't surprise me a bit.

[KittyWampus]

37. kick

[Obamarama]

39. Anyone know what his resume looks like?

Wonder if he was in the horse show biz too, or just the requisite Resmuglican dog and pony show biz.

[Dr. Death]

40. I'm sure he's doin' a heck of a job