Mine-study bill is OK'd by Senate

The U.S. Senate Tuesday night passed an amendment to the Labor Department appropriations bill (H.R. 3043), sponsored by Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, aimed at gathering more information on how to improve safety for western coal miners in the wake of the Crandall Canyon Mine disaster. The measure would provide for a study on "retreat room and pillar mining" practices.

Retreat mining involves excavating an underground chamber while leaving behind pillars of material for support. Once the deposit is depleted, miners remove the pillars and "retreat" back toward the mine's entrance.

In August, six miners died following a collapse at the Crandall Canyon Mine in Huntington. Subsequently, three other men also died attempting to rescue those trapped by the collapse.

Although a common technique, retreat mining has come under fire since the Crandall Canyon accident. The bill would invite the University of Utah and West Virginia University to participate in a study of this technique in underground coal mines at depths greater than 1,500 feet.

"It has been my hope that we can learn from the disastrous events at Crandall Canyon Mine in Utah and improve mining safety in Utah and throughout the United States," Hatch said. "The majority of research performed by the mining community has been in eastern mines. Western mines are usually much deeper and therefore have their own safety concerns. By approving this amendment, the Senate is putting much-needed attention and funding toward enhancing mine safety in Utah mines."

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