MSHA , is trying to outrun it's demons. Being a former Mine rescue person I feel certain that the feds had some responcibility in killing those guys up at Sago. I actually met the supertindent of that mine(we took our diesel instructor class together) and they wanted to prosecute him for trying to go back in that mine to get his guys out. Also MSHA showed up and took over limiting what mine rescue teams could do. Another thing while I'm on my soapbox :Aracoma now I have specific knowledge of this mine; Why? Because I worked there, my dad is a belt foreman there and my cousin is the mine foreman there. Aracoma , Alma #1 had to be one of the nastiest coal mines they are. Ran that way for years. Now I know the company has some responsibility but, the inspectors did not do their jobs and I'm about 99.99999999 percent sure that they were paid off. Now I'm not totally bashing MSHA but, I think they may need to lighten up on some things. I don't understand how they can keep the anthracite mines on the same standard as our coal mines , unless they mine it like we do then they should be free game. But, the technology is not really there to mine a 45 degree coal seam. Sorry to get off the subject.

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_______________________________________ www.pickandshovel.org "For Miners By Miners"

it's the problem with government agencies in general....the problem is they don't have an agency to govern them! high and almighty, no one to keep tabs on their conduct. It's gunna be interesting to see if any changes are made again in MSHA with this upcoming election.

Well, this is the same sort of thing that gets on my last nerve about instituted and pending social programs. The gov't doesn't know their head from their a$$ on how to run anything, hence bureaucratic red tape and EXTREME insufficiency.
No one's getting any help on any front, and it creates a generation that expects their hand to be held by Uncle Sam through life.

*off my soapbox now*

Anyway, I do plan to pummel whatever new admin is in after the election on the coal mining front. Time to rally again.

~S

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"Heyna!"

Nice Bituminous is still better than Anthracite.

Banks how do you forget this everytime.

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Pioneering the next INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION (Preservation ! ). . . Saving equipment (1) mine site at a time.