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Governor appoints Scott Matheson Jr. to lead state mine-safety panel
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katamb-Midvale | 5:18 p.m. Aug. 23, 2007
I support Gov. Huntsman's decision. Mr. Murray, Mr. Stickler (sp?) and all
of them need our support, not more tongue lashings. Mr. Murray was on CNN last
night and looks like he's ready to have a nervous breakdown. My prayers go
to the families and friends of those lost and everone else involved in this
horrible tragedy. May the Lord bless you as you travel this most difficult road.
It's very painful to suddenly lose someone, and the first thing you do is
look for someone to blame - even years after it happens. There are no instant
solutions - that's just on TV.
katamb-Midvale | 5:20 p.m. Aug. 23, 2007
What the heck is a "RINO" for those of us uneducated folks?????
Comments continue below
D | 5:27 p.m. Aug. 23, 2007
My thoughts:
1)The night of the 2nd cave-in, I wondered what the governor would say. I myself thought it might be a bad idea to continue, but I thought, "what do you say to the families of the six"? I was torn. And then the governor showed up and demanded that the rescue stop. I wasn't sure I agreed, but at the time I respected the Guv for showing strong leadership. But then he started demanding closure for the families and attempting to use statements that would please everyone without admitting a change in course. I have a serious problem with that. Strong leaders either A)admit a change in course or B)stick with their course. The Guv is trying to have it both ways and please everyone. Poor performance Guv.
2)Mr. Murray is not a great communicator. That does not mean he is evil. Let the normal investigations run their course. If he is to blame for something, so be it; if not, so be it. But let's not make him a scapegoat before all facts are in. Mine violations are more common than parking tickets and Murray Energy doesn�t seem to be an outlier.
3)There always have been and always will be mining deaths. This will not be the last disaster in Utah. Governor Huntsman seems to think that if someone dies then there must have been negligence or stupidity or greed. This is not so. We choose to build skyscrapers and people die during construction. We choose to drive on freeways and people die. We choose to mine and it�s a statistical fact that people will die. There is no foolproof way of extracting coal and not having deaths.
1)The night of the 2nd cave-in, I wondered what the governor would say. I myself thought it might be a bad idea to continue, but I thought, "what do you say to the families of the six"? I was torn. And then the governor showed up and demanded that the rescue stop. I wasn't sure I agreed, but at the time I respected the Guv for showing strong leadership. But then he started demanding closure for the families and attempting to use statements that would please everyone without admitting a change in course. I have a serious problem with that. Strong leaders either A)admit a change in course or B)stick with their course. The Guv is trying to have it both ways and please everyone. Poor performance Guv.
2)Mr. Murray is not a great communicator. That does not mean he is evil. Let the normal investigations run their course. If he is to blame for something, so be it; if not, so be it. But let's not make him a scapegoat before all facts are in. Mine violations are more common than parking tickets and Murray Energy doesn�t seem to be an outlier.
3)There always have been and always will be mining deaths. This will not be the last disaster in Utah. Governor Huntsman seems to think that if someone dies then there must have been negligence or stupidity or greed. This is not so. We choose to build skyscrapers and people die during construction. We choose to drive on freeways and people die. We choose to mine and it�s a statistical fact that people will die. There is no foolproof way of extracting coal and not having deaths.
SLC-RPP | 5:30 p.m. Aug. 23, 2007
IM VERY DISSAPOINTED IN GOV HUNTSMAN POLITICAL INTERVENTION INTO AN ACT OF GOD.
HE CANT KEEP GASOLINE PRICES DOWN. THIS COURSE OF ACTION JUST SPENDS OUR HARD
EARNED TAXS. REGARDING THE FAMILYS OF THE DEAD MINERS, THEY HAVE MADE VERY MEAN
SPIRITED COMMENTS AND NO COMMENTS OF APPRECIATION FOR THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS
AND LIVES LOST TRYING TO FIND THE MINERS.
WE ARE VERY SORRY FOR THE LOSS OF THESE MINERS AND EXTEND SYMPATHY TO THE FAMILYS FOR THEIR LOSS.
HOWEVER, THEY MUST REMEMBER THEIR JOBS WERE HIGH RISK FOR POSSIBLE ACCIDENTS.
THEY SHOULD BE GREATFULL FOR ALL THAT HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED IN THEIR BEHALF. THET SHOULD REMEMBER THE INTERNATIONAL PRAYER OFFERED BY JOHN PAUL JONES, THE US NAVAL COMMMANDER OF THE CONTINNENTAL NAVY OF THE 1700S, JUST BEFORE HE DIED:
"TEACH ME TO FEEL THE WOES OF ANOTHER MAN
TO HIDE THE FAULT I SEE.
MAY MERCY I SHOW UNTO HIM, SUCH MERCY SHOW UNTO ME."
WE ARE VERY SORRY FOR THE LOSS OF THESE MINERS AND EXTEND SYMPATHY TO THE FAMILYS FOR THEIR LOSS.
HOWEVER, THEY MUST REMEMBER THEIR JOBS WERE HIGH RISK FOR POSSIBLE ACCIDENTS.
THEY SHOULD BE GREATFULL FOR ALL THAT HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED IN THEIR BEHALF. THET SHOULD REMEMBER THE INTERNATIONAL PRAYER OFFERED BY JOHN PAUL JONES, THE US NAVAL COMMMANDER OF THE CONTINNENTAL NAVY OF THE 1700S, JUST BEFORE HE DIED:
"TEACH ME TO FEEL THE WOES OF ANOTHER MAN
TO HIDE THE FAULT I SEE.
MAY MERCY I SHOW UNTO HIM, SUCH MERCY SHOW UNTO ME."
Mark | 5:31 p.m. Aug. 23, 2007
Murray is an insensitive goof and should have never stepped in front of a news
camera or been the messenger to the families. Any statements on whether he
cares about the miners or not is pure speculation. Only God knows his heart and
his culpability at this point.
Huntsman is spilling rhetoric trying to look like a leader in this crisis. He needs to calm down, identify the problems and fix them.
Matheson is a fine man who will do a great job.
Huntsman is spilling rhetoric trying to look like a leader in this crisis. He needs to calm down, identify the problems and fix them.
Matheson is a fine man who will do a great job.
Swede | 5:32 p.m. Aug. 23, 2007
Nice Job Guv!!! Next thing we'll hear from you is that if we supported
McCain, solved "human" caused global warming and used that unknown
technology, none of this would have happened! It's nice having a
Progressive errrr... Liberal as our "leader". Your political
affiliation is neither Republican or Democrat, you are a member of the
"Political Party"!!!
TEX | 6:23 p.m. Aug. 23, 2007
I really Praise Mr. Murray for his courage and straight forwardness with the
miners families. Yes, he is a Good Christian Man, maybe he should be the
Govrnor, st least he has compassion for people, any people and especially his
miners. My idea of new technology is the same as suggested in another comment.
Drill a hole for a capsule near where the tool belt was seen. That is where the
six miners will be found. GOD Bless All. Pray for the Governor, get him out of
office.
Billy Mills | 6:30 p.m. Aug. 23, 2007
I've written many comments to you all and am on yuor mailing list. Itseems
that all ot my comments have never been published in the comment column, is
there some kind of goof up ??? Everything I have written has been very
constructive. I would like to know, or, should i take it up with the HA HA
Governor, Joke.
Leisa | 7:24 p.m. Aug. 23, 2007
My husband works at a west virginia mines and about 3 months ago they was
blasting and some of the men took pictures of the blast. After the pictures was
developed in the cloud of smoke is a very clear image of the devil himself....
one would have to see it to beleive it. i dropped the picture when i saw it..
this is a sign we need to stop sending our men into the mountains and only do
surface mining instead.. all we have had is men being killed in the mines... as
for the families of those 6 men, come on find away to get them out for the
families to have a resting place, not in that mountain..... as for the mines
SHUT IT DOWN.... and never open it again.....i've been thinking they keep
saying that they are going for a 6th hole where the men was last working at..
why didn't they go to the 6th hole 1st if indeed this is where the men was
last thought to be??????? why waste time on the 1st 2nd 3rd 4th and 5th hole if
they think the 6th hole is where they was last working at??? GOD BLESS THE 6 MEN
AND THEIR FAMILIES......
Denzer | 7:34 p.m. Aug. 23, 2007
This seems to be another example of awareness that came far too late.
The two previous mining disasters in Philadelphia and last year at the Sago mine in West Virginia should have brought to the public forefront and discussion table that over the last several years, the MSHA under the direction of the Chao Labor Department has relentlessly rolled back mine safety regulations and cut budgets and positions in such a manner that effective oversight of mine safety was not possible. This created an underground disaster potential that was bound to blow up sooner or later.
Last year Congressional investigations resulted in new mine safety regulations, which Mr. Stickler chose not to implement.
In 1977 Utah eliminated that state�s supervision and oversight of mine safety, leaving that to the Federal Government.
A year ago I contacted my state senator and representative to ensure that Utah had enough concern to adequately protect our miners. I found out that there was no desire on our small-minded capitol hill to bother to prevent future mining disasters. We could have instituted requirements for individual communication devices and safety procedures that would not have allowed for the unsafe alterations in the mining plan that was approved by the Feds.
Perhaps a special commission headed by Scott Matheson, Jr. might outline an appropriate role for the State of Utah to protect miners whose health and lives are not a priority of the mine owners.
That is the appropriate roll for government � providing for the public good.
The two previous mining disasters in Philadelphia and last year at the Sago mine in West Virginia should have brought to the public forefront and discussion table that over the last several years, the MSHA under the direction of the Chao Labor Department has relentlessly rolled back mine safety regulations and cut budgets and positions in such a manner that effective oversight of mine safety was not possible. This created an underground disaster potential that was bound to blow up sooner or later.
Last year Congressional investigations resulted in new mine safety regulations, which Mr. Stickler chose not to implement.
In 1977 Utah eliminated that state�s supervision and oversight of mine safety, leaving that to the Federal Government.
A year ago I contacted my state senator and representative to ensure that Utah had enough concern to adequately protect our miners. I found out that there was no desire on our small-minded capitol hill to bother to prevent future mining disasters. We could have instituted requirements for individual communication devices and safety procedures that would not have allowed for the unsafe alterations in the mining plan that was approved by the Feds.
Perhaps a special commission headed by Scott Matheson, Jr. might outline an appropriate role for the State of Utah to protect miners whose health and lives are not a priority of the mine owners.
That is the appropriate roll for government � providing for the public good.
Concerned | 8:19 p.m. Aug. 23, 2007
I have been a supporter of Gov Huntsman from the beginning and I hope this is
not what we can expect from him in the future. What does he expect? I think we
are past the miracle point. I agree it is a horrible tragedy but reality is
reality. Even he agreed that the mining should be stopped until we can be sure
there is a safe way to proceed. Well the experts have stated it and as much as I
hate to see it happen, Mr. Murray, no matter how much we may like or dislike
him, has made the right choice. I am sure the death of the 3 rescue miners
weighs heavy on his mind and I know that I would not want more deaths on my
concience. I am sorry for the families of the six trapped miners but the mining
community did give a valiant effort. May they rest in peace.
Get Real UTAH | 8:21 p.m. Aug. 23, 2007
Lets get real people. Murray has been grand-standing, enjoying the attention and
playing for the cameras and the media the entire time of this incident. Did you
hear him give his lame argument against global warming - nearly comical! And
those pictures where he is covering his face and feeling distraught - FAKE! Lets
be real, Murray's main goal is to make money and he does not focus enough
on safety (I can give you 9 examples). He should be ashamed for not doing more
to find the trapped miners. Why did he not use more than one drill rig, use
remote control devices, drill a hole large enough to get a rescurer down to the
mine, have rescue procedures in place, get a spokesperson to communicate with
the media, and have better safety equipment?
While Huntsman may be discussing this incident for political gain, I imagine that the same people that are criticizing his comments would be blasting him if he did not address this. I think everyone is being to hard and pushing their own agendas with him. I believe that the govenor has been doing a good job throughout this entire ordeal. His comments are correct: an unsafe mine is unacceptable!
While Huntsman may be discussing this incident for political gain, I imagine that the same people that are criticizing his comments would be blasting him if he did not address this. I think everyone is being to hard and pushing their own agendas with him. I believe that the govenor has been doing a good job throughout this entire ordeal. His comments are correct: an unsafe mine is unacceptable!
What happens | 8:36 p.m. Aug. 23, 2007
What happens when the President names someone twice turned down by his own party
as head of MSHA? Answer: A responsible mine company closes it's mine
leaving the long wall intact to hold up the mine and protect the main entrance
and corridors. Someone comes along and buys it and starts tearing out the
supports and MSHA approves, even after the north side collapsed. Their needs to
be Federal and State people looking into this to keep it from happening to
others.
Dianne in Ohio | 8:45 p.m. Aug. 23, 2007
Please don't allow politics to interfere with the decision making for the
entombed miner's families or the decision making of this rumbling mine.
Your governor & his appointed commitee member have made some rash statements
before an investigation has begun. Nothing will be gained or learned by giving
biased, opinionated statements to the media. Gather the facts, hear the evidence
and I'm sure the people will receive an accurate report. Ohio just replaced
a governor who was a great embarrassment to our state. Don't allow that to
happen to Utah.
May West | 9:15 p.m. Aug. 23, 2007
It's about time the Governor got involved. I can't believe he ask a
Democrat to help. That will only cost the tax payers. If a Republican was
selected to head up the task force, it would be much better.
Gov needs a life | 9:39 p.m. Aug. 23, 2007
I think that the Governor did a good job in the first part of this situation
showing support. After the second accident the Governor demanded that all
rescue efforts be stopped because of the safety issues. Then when the families
are upset that there is no rescue, the Governor demands that the company be
investigated because they are not doing enough to get the men out. Now he wants
to tell the mines how to do their business. Governor, stay out of it.
Mark | 9:41 p.m. Aug. 23, 2007
For katamb, RINO = Republican In Name Only
But I applaud Gov. Huntsman's selection of Matheson to head the panel--he has a great legal background for this, and coming from 'across the aisle' will lend more credibility to the panel's recommendations. It won't be able to be seen as a Repbulican whitewash.
But I applaud Gov. Huntsman's selection of Matheson to head the panel--he has a great legal background for this, and coming from 'across the aisle' will lend more credibility to the panel's recommendations. It won't be able to be seen as a Repbulican whitewash.
Interloper | 10:26 p.m. Aug. 23, 2007
Too many of these comments read like astroturf -- one or a couple people posting
the same claims under different screen names. I do not believe that informed
persons would be so unaware of Robert Murray's record, currently being
exposed at length in the Salt Lake Tribune, and even the New York Times, to
believe that he is anything other than a hardcore capitalist intent on
exploiting previously closed mines by using unsafe methods to remove coal best
left alone. So, I think the same Murray defenders are posting over and over
again, saying more or less the same thing.
I will hazard a guess that some people are kissing his behind out of fear Murray will close his mines in Utah and jobs will be lost. That may be preferable to more loss of life. They need to be less selfish.
I will hazard a guess that some people are kissing his behind out of fear Murray will close his mines in Utah and jobs will be lost. That may be preferable to more loss of life. They need to be less selfish.
Miner who was there | 10:57 p.m. Aug. 23, 2007
I was in the mine the night of the cavein. I helped pull Men out. Mr. Murray was
right there helping side by side. When he first came we all hated him but after
that night and he was with us caring for his Men and you could tell how deeply
he cared for his people it made me proud to work for him. All of you that were
not there don't talk you do not know what you are talking about. The Gov
flew in and blew out what a fake and a phoney. We don't need a comission to
find out what went wrong. We know what went wrong we had an Earth Quake, plane
and simple. If you want to start a comission start one on hiway 6 where so many
die each year.
Interloper | 7:30 a.m. Aug. 24, 2007
Thanks for providing an excellent example of astroturf, Alleged Miner Who Was
There, But Doesn't Give His Name. It is exactly statements like yours that
ring false to me.
Even if Murray did put in an appearance at the second disaster, it appears it was his unsafe practices that caused both collapses and the resulting injuries and deaths. The investigations will establish whether that is, in fact, what happened. I trust the investigators much more than I trust some anonymous poster to a message board who seems much too eager to front for Murray.
Even if Murray did put in an appearance at the second disaster, it appears it was his unsafe practices that caused both collapses and the resulting injuries and deaths. The investigations will establish whether that is, in fact, what happened. I trust the investigators much more than I trust some anonymous poster to a message board who seems much too eager to front for Murray.
John Adams | 7:54 a.m. Aug. 25, 2007
Oh goodness-as if Scott Matheson has a clue about mining. Sounds like 2 buddies
helping each other get more $$$'s to me.
lindy | 12:22 a.m. Aug. 26, 2007
For all you electronics techs, you should know that the phones and tracking
devices that some say should have been used in Utah mines to prevent miners from
being lost or trapped is not feasable in this and some other mines... The
devices, at best, can not penetrate or track through more than approximately 600
feet of earth. Now, since the miners are trapped more than 1700 feet below
ground, tell me how's that supposed to work? What about sending a small
geared-up snoop dog down the number 3 hole of 8 and 5/8 inch? They are available
at the pound prior to euthenization. It would be better than euthenization.
Either way, if it worked or not, the pooch would be the most famous dog in the
world. They could attach a camera and a light on a retrieval system. Maybe
someone should suggest this to Bob Murray. By the way, I have watched all the
videos (and I mean ALL) several times and I want to give my utmost commendations
and respect to Bob Murray and all the rescue workers for carrying on boldly in
the rescue efforts while enduring so great torment and decete from certains of
the media. I want to thank the rest of the media for mediating straight forward
and honestly. Families of the trapped miners and the deceased miners, I love you
and I know this has been tremendously difficult for you. I have a good friend
trapped in that mine also, and it's truly a surge in the heart. Thanks
everybody for taking the side of the man Bob Murray who only tried to retrieve
the men. Others of you, please don't kick a man when he's down...
Govenor, I'd be careful of how I look to the public if I were you...
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If the governor only spoke in platitudes like "the families deserve respect", that would be O.K. The problem is that the governor has seriously contradicted himself by demanding mutually exclusive results. He also realized early on that Mr. Murray is his own worst enemy at press conferences and so he has tried to channel blame toward him, when saying nothing would be the most appropriate response.