Chairman Miller Begins Utah Mine Investigation
Monday, August 27th, 2007 by Jesse LeeFrom the Education and Labor Committee:
Chairman Miller Requests Information from Labor Department & Murray Energy on Crandall Canyon Mine
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, today sent requests for documents, communications, and other information from the U.S. Department of Labor and Murray Energy Corporation related to the operation and stewardship of the Crandall Canyon Mine in Utah.
“Gathering this information is the first step in an investigative effort to learn what went wrong at the Crandall Canyon Mine and what we must do to prevent such tragedies in the future,” said Miller, whose committee has jurisdiction over worker safety issues. “The families of the miners, the public, and miners who still work underground every day deserve a full accounting of the events that led up to and followed the collapse at Crandall Canyon Mine.”
Miller announced last week that the Education and Labor Committee will convene a hearing into the mine collapse during the first week in October.
To read Miller’s letter to the Department of Labor, click here.
To read Miller’s letter to Murray Energy, click here.
Text of the letter to Labor Secretary Elaine Chao:
August 27, 2007 The Honorable Elaine L. Chao
Secretary of Labor
U.S. Department of Labor
200 Constitution Avenue, NW
Room S-2018
Washington, DC 20210Dear Secretary Chao:
In light of troubling reports and the Committee’s observations about the questionable stewardship and lax oversight of operations at the Crandall Canyon Mine in Utah, the Committee seeks specific information about how the Department of Labor carried out its roles and responsibilities in overseeing mining activities at the mine. Accordingly, I have enclosed a detailed list of the information the Committee requires at this time and a list of supplemental
instructions to assist with your response to my request.Please respond to me in writing of your plans to produce the requested information within three days of this letter and direct MSHA to coordinate the production of the requested information with the Committee’s Chief Investigative Counsel, Michael Zola, who may be reached at (202) XXX-XXXX. I look forward to your prompt response.
Sincerely,
GEORGE MILLER
Chairmancc: Senior Republican Member Howard “Buck” McKeon
Enclosures: Documents and Information Requested Information Request Supplemental Instructions
Document and information request:
Documents and Information Requested Please provide copies of the following documents:
1. All communications since January 2001 through the receipt of this request between the Department of Labor (including MSHA) and representatives, employees or agents of Murray Energy Corporation, Andalex Resources Inc., Agapito Associates Inc., the Utah Division of Oil Gas and Mining, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and any other party regarding the Crandall Canyon Mine. Please note that the Committee on Education and Labor defines “communications” very broadly to mean each manner or means of disclosure or exchange of information, regardless of means utilized, whether oral, electronic, by document or otherwise, and whether face-to-face, in a meeting, by telephone, mail, telexes, discussions, releases, personal delivery, or otherwise.
2. All records of “events” gathered and recorded in the Inspector’s Portable Applications for Laptops (IPALS) database related to Crandall Canyon Mine and a master list of specific “event codes.”
3. All minutes of proceedings beginning January 2001 through the receipt of this request where mine enforcement, mine plans, transfer or replacement of any MSHA personnel was discussed between the Department of Labor (including MSHA) and representatives, employees or agents of Murray Energy Corporation, Andalex Resources Inc., Agapito Associates Inc., the Utah Division of Oil Gas and Mining, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and any other parties regarding the Crandall Canyon Mine. If the minutes of the proceedings do not include the names of all attendees, whether in person, via conference telephone or other means, then provide that information separately.
4. The complete employment record for Mr. Allyn Davis, Region 9 District Manager for MSHA during his tenure with the Department of Labor.
5. Any complaints, regardless of the source, made to the Department of Labor about the Crandall Canyon Mine from January 2001 through the receipt of this letter.In addition to the above, I respectfully request a concurrent production of information requested by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions submitted on August 23, 2007 with the following changes:
1. In place of “All petitions for changes to mine plans,” requested in paragraph 2 of the request, we seek all mine plans submitted to MSHA for approval, including any amendments, modifications or petitions for change. This includes copies of all petitions for modifications of the Mine Act and all supporting documents and reports that have been filed by mine operators with MSHA involving the Crandall Canyon Mine.
2. In addition to the “petitions” requested in paragraph 3 of the request, we seek all the plans submitted as well.
3. For the mine maps requested in paragraph 14 of the request, we seek such documents dating back as early as January 2001.
See the Committee’s activity on mine safety, a top committee priority >>