For Release: Thursday, June 8, 2006
Contact: David Gillies: 202-225-5661

HOUSE PASSES MINE SAFETY BILL, SET TO BECOME LAW

Washington - The U.S. House of Representatives passed mine safety legislation last night that will improve the ability of miners to survive after accidents.  U.S. Congressman Jerry Costello (D-IL) supported the legislation and was a cosponsor of other similar bills.  The Senate has already approved the bill and President Bush is expected to sign it into law.  Thirty-two miners have been killed in mine accidents in 2006. 

The bill, S. 2803, the Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response (MINER) Act, includes the following provisions:

• Requires underground coal mines to develop and continuously update a written emergency response plan.  The plan must be recertified by the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) every six months, must provide emergency supplies of breathable air for a sustained period of time, and within three years of enactment must provide for a wireless two-way communication system for trapped miners to use to contact surface personnel.  
• Within 18 months of enactment, the Labor Department must issue regulations requiring that coal mine operators have available two certified mine rescue teams that could reach the mine within one hour.
• Mine operators must notify the MSHA of any incidents or accidents that pose a reasonable risk of death within 15 minutes of the time they become aware of the situation. 
• Mine operators who willfully violate these regulations are subject to a fine of up to $250,000 and a year in prison for a first offense, and a fine of up to $500,000 and five years in prison for subsequent offenses. 
• Establishes a competitive grant program to develop and expedite the commercial availability of new mine safety technology.
• Establishes a grant program to fund education and training programs to better identify, avoid and prevent unsafe working conditions in and around mines.
• Establishes a scholarship program for those who wish to become miners or mine inspectors. 

"This legislation is a positive step forward to address the threat of mine disasters," said Costello.  "We have been reminded too often this year about the dangers of coal mining.  By making the improvements in this bill, we can enhance mine safety conditions and improve the survivability rate of trapped miners.  This is not a perfect bill, but it is good legislation supported by miners and mine operators."

Illinois has a rich coal mining history.  Coal underlies 65 percent of the state's surface and the Illinois coal industry annually produces approximately 35 million tons of coal and generates more than $1 billion in gross revenues. Currently, recoverable coal reserves in the state of Illinois amount to more than 30 billion tons. Illinois has almost one-eighth of the coal reserves in the United States and one-quarter of the nation's bituminous coal reserves. Illinois' coal reserves contain more BTU's than the oil reserves of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

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