Legislative audit recommends changes in state regulation of coal industry

A legislative audit report released today recommends significant changes in the way the state handles regulation of its coal industry.

The performance audit of Utah's Coal Regulatory Program, conducted by the office of the Utah Legislative Auditor General, focused on the regulation of the coal program within the state Division of Oil, Gas, and Mining.

"Management over the coal program is lacking good management practice in a few key governing areas," the report states.

The report targets the regulatory operation of the agency, which monitors and controls the impacts of surface coal mining.

Auditors recommended that division managers develop clear policies and procedures for regulating, monitoring, and enforcing established rules, and suggested that the division should consistently adhere to those policies. In addition, the division should more accurately interpret governing regulatory definitions and consistently enforce its regulatory authority, the report said.

According to the report, another priority for the division should be to change permitting practices for underground mining. Currently, those practices are not clearly defined, the auditors said. The report also recommended exploring additional funding options for the state's coal program.

But the auditors said that in the wake of the tragedy at the Crandall Canyon Mine in August, it is important to note that the state division now only regulates surfacing mining, not underground mine safety. The collapse deep inside the Crandall Canyon Mine trapped six miners, whose bodies were never recovered. Three rescuers died attempting to save the trapped miners.

Federal authorities have since sealed the Crandall Canyon site. The accident is currently under investigation by the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration.

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