Pass new mining bill

President Bush already has vowed to veto a new bill intended to force mining regulatory agencies to take a tougher stance with coal operators. One reason is the bill would derail efforts under way as part of the 2006 MINER Act, passed after the Sago Mine disaster that killed 12 miners in January 2006.

Critics of the new legislation say mine companies have lagged behind in implementing safety requirements required in that act. There's no point in piggybacking on the 2006 legislation while efforts to comply are under way. Anything Congress can do to bolster the work of federal mine regulators is needed.

This bill is important in light of new developments in the deaths of six miners and three rescuers in Utah's Crandall Canyon Mine this past summer. The bill specifically restricts retreat mining, a technique where coal pillars that support a mine's roof are removed to result in a planned cave-in so more coal can be recovered. Retreat mining had been conducted in the area where the initial mine bump at Crandall Canyon Mine occurred, trapping six miners. Three of their rescuers were killed in a separate collapse a few days later.

The bill also addresses communication between miners' families and those managing a mine rescue operation. Relatives of the Crandall Canyon Mine victims were upset in their discussions with the mine's co-owner Robert Murray.

If Bush is prepared to veto this legislation, which is pending in the Senate, he should be prepared to explain his reasons to the families of miners Kerry Allred, Luis Hernandez, Carlos Payan, Don Erickson, Manuel Sanchez and Brandon Phillips, and rescuers Dale Black, Brandon Kimber and Gary Jensen. They deserve that much.

If Bush vetoes this bill, Congress should — at least — address mine safety through the appropriations process. The federal Mine Safety and Health Administration needs more trained mine inspectors, according to agency director Richard Stickler. Those inspectors need ample resources to conduct a sufficient number of mine inspections and follow-up visits to ensure miners work under the safest conditions possible.

Underground coal mining is inherently risky. Not every hazard can be anticipated or eliminated through regulation or practice. But as technology improves and the knowledge base expands, America's coal miners — whose efforts keep America's lights on — deserve policies and regulations that keep them safe.