|
News & Analysis | REG•WATCH Blog | Press Room
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Information Sharing Could Have Prevented Crandall Mine Disaster
In 2004, the Interior Department's Bureau of Land Management (BLM) learned of structural problems at the Crandall Canyon mine in Utah but did not share the information with mine regulators, according to the Associated Press. An August 6 collapse in the mine has left six miners trapped and presumed dead. Days later, three rescue workers died attempting to retrieve the trapped miners.
According to the AP article, "The [BLM] inspector, Stephen Falk, said that further mining by pulling out the pillars would be 'untenable.' " Unfortunately, "The BLM report was done for internal use only."
The BLM report was announced today in a hearing of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pension Committee. At the hearing, an official from the Mine Safety and Health Administration (an agency in the Labor Department) admitted the report could have helped inform decisions at the agency.
Critics have also raised concerns MSHA did not fulfill its responsibility to protect miners. MSHA approved a mining plan for Crandall Canyon in June 2007, just months after serious structural problems forced the operators to abandon a work area only 900 feet from where the miners are trapped.
The controversy underscores the need for better sharing and disclosure of government information — both among agencies and with the public. Sen. Ted Kennedy, chairman of the committee which held today's hearing, said, "This is like the CIA not getting information from the FBI when we're getting attacked by terrorists."
Posted by Matt Madia
|