His revised explanation seemed to relieve the anxiety of some commission members who had previously expressed concerns about the proposal. It paved the way for the panel to sweep through the remaining unresolved items, all of which had been stalled due to the dispute over creating the office.

The panel reached agreement on 45 of the items on their draft recommendation list, including establishing an enhanced safety partnership with the Mine Health and Safety Administration to ensure the safety of Utah mines, and working with MSHA and coal operators on developing a clear set of protocols for timely and accurate communications with the families of mine victims, the press and the public following a coal mine accident.

After the daylong meeting, Matheson expressed relief that the commission was able to work through its differences and now has numerous solid suggestions to present to Gov. Jon M. Huntsman Jr.

"We've made a lot of progress and we've worked hard," he said. "We've crafted 45 proposals covering a variety of areas. They've been well thought through, and now it's up to the policymakers to decide if they want to implement them."

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