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For Immediate Release
January 15, 2008
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White: Historic Mine Safety Legislation
Approved by Committee - First Comprehensive Update of Mine
Safety Law in Nearly 50 Years
Summary of SB 949 (PDF)
 -
Senator MJ White
- Senator
Rhoades
Harrisburg – The Senate Environmental Resources and
Energy Committee, chaired by Sen. Mary Jo White (R-21),
today approved the first comprehensive rewrite of
Pennsylvania's mine safety laws in nearly 50 years.
"Mining has a long, proud tradition in Pennsylvania,
producing jobs for communities and energy for the nation.
Enactment of this legislation will represent the culmination
of a strenuous effort to make this inherently dangerous job
safer," said White.
Senator White, Democratic Committee Chairman Raphael
Musto and the bill's sponsor, Sen. Richard Kasunic, worked
closely with Department of Environmental Protection
Secretary Kathleen McGinty, DEP officials, coal mine
operators and mine union officials in preparing the
legislation.
Pennsylvania's mine safety statute was last updated in
1961.
Senate Bill 949 would create a new Board of Coal Mine
Safety to keep Pennsylvania's mine safety standards
regularly updated. The board will be chaired by the DEP
secretary, with three members representing mine operators
and three representing mine workers.
The legislation also provides for greater responsibility
for operators to ensure the safety, and enables the state to
establish a central database of maps of mines throughout the
Commonwealth, White said. It also addresses responses to
accidents, requiring mine operators to notify DEP within 15
minutes, and updates ventilation and roof support
requirements.
"By putting a board in place to regularly update
standards, we won't have the Legislature trying to
micromanage the mining process, in which today's technology
can be outdated by the time the ink on a bill dries," said
White. "The governor indicated he supports this measure, and
I hope it will move through the Legislature and be enacted
as soon as possible."
CONTACT: Patrick Henderson (717) 787-9684
phenderson@pasen.gov
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