Democratic Underground Latest Greatest Lobby Journals Search Options Help Login
Google

Massey mine hearings to be closed to public

Printer-friendly format Printer-friendly format
Printer-friendly format Email this thread to a friend
Printer-friendly format Bookmark this thread		 This topic is archived.
Home » Discuss » Archives » General Discussion (1/22-2007 thru 12/14/2010) Donate to DU
 
Enrique Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri May-07-10 10:48 AM
Original message
Massey mine hearings to be closed to public
http://wvgazette.com/News/201005060800

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Federal investigators will conduct key portions of their probe of the Upper Big Banch Mine disaster behind closed doors, but will plan a series of public events the Obama administration said would "bolster transparency and openness."

The announcement Thursday by Labor Secretary Hilda Solis drew harsh criticism from the United Mine Workers union, mine owner Massey Energy and families of miners killed in the April 5 explosion.

"People from all sides of this issue in the coalfields want this investigation to be fully and completely open," said UMW President Cecil Roberts. "The families of the victims do, the UMW does, the media does, and even the company said it does.

"The only people who don't want this to be completely open are the government agencies, and that, frankly, continues a bad practice that we expected would change under this administration," Roberts said.

Massey said the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration "is choosing to repeat past mistakes by refusing due process and failing to build the public's confidence that the hearings will be fair and develop a complete and balanced public record."

Federal law gives MSHA authority to conduct accident investigations through public hearings, but the agency has seldom done so.

(...)
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
QC Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri May-07-10 10:50 AM
Response to Original message
1. How hopetastically and changealiciously transparent! n/t
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Captain Hilts Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri May-07-10 10:51 AM
Response to Original message
2. WHY??????????????
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
QC Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri May-07-10 10:51 AM
Response to Reply #2
4. So as not to embarrass the coal industry, silly! n/t
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
WhiteTara Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri May-07-10 11:01 AM
Response to Reply #4
10. my thought was to stop
a lynch mob. :shrug:
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
NBachers Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri May-07-10 10:51 AM
Response to Original message
3. "Bolster transparency and openness" by keeping the hearings closed
Wasn't this kind of thing supposed to stop with the Obama administration?
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Enrique Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri May-07-10 10:53 AM
Response to Reply #3
6. Cecil Roberts thought so...
"The only people who don't want this to be completely open are the government agencies, and that, frankly, continues a bad practice that we expected would change under this administration," Roberts said.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
amborin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri May-07-10 11:51 AM
Response to Reply #3
14. +1 and why are the deficit commission hearings in secret, too?
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
gratuitous Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri May-07-10 10:52 AM
Response to Original message
5. Custom can be a very strong force
But somehow I suspect that closed hearings are at least as much a result of one party's desire *coughMasseycough* to keep the hearings closed as the MSHA's custom of keeping them closed. Another opportunity for believable change going by the boards.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Enrique Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri May-07-10 10:56 AM
Response to Reply #5
8. Massey actually wanted public hearings
why, I don't know...

http://masseyubb.com/2010/05/07/massey-energy-responds-to-msha-announcement-about-public-hearings-federal-agency-repeating-mistakes-of-past-mine-investigations/

Massey Energy Responds to MSHA Announcement about Public Hearings Federal Agency Repeating Mistakes of Past Mine Investigations
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Julian, WV, May 6, 2010 – Massey Energy Company (NYSE: MEE) released the following statement in response to MSHA’s announcement that it will not hold full and public hearings into the April 5th mine explosion at Upper Big Branch Mine:

“MSHA is choosing to repeat past mistakes of coal mine investigations by refusing due process and failing to build the public’s confidence that the hearings will be fair and develop a complete and balanced public record.”

Massey Energy Company, headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, with operations in West Virginia, Kentucky and Virginia, is the largest coal company in Central Appalachia and is included the S&P 500 index.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
gratuitous Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri May-07-10 11:01 AM
Response to Reply #8
9. At least they issued a public statement saying that
My guess is once they knew the hearings were going to be safely closed, they felt free to publicly say they really, really wanted public hearings, but darn those MSHA people!

I'm not sure when I got so cynical or distrustful of mining companies. It's obviously a personal shortcoming that I should try harder to remedy.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
ensho Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri May-07-10 10:53 AM
Response to Original message
7. NO - behind closed doors won't do! it means something wants


hiding.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Better Believe It Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri May-07-10 11:09 AM
Response to Original message
11. So conducting closed door hearings will "bolster transparency and openness".

Kind of sounds like Orwellian doublespeak.

War is peace.

Closed is open.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Angry Dragon Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri May-07-10 11:11 AM
Response to Original message
12. More closed doors
I thought we were told we needed to have a more open government??

We the People..for the People........I guess these are just words used when they suit the purpose
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Lint Head Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri May-07-10 11:43 AM
Response to Original message
13. We are not yet free of this oppressive nightmare. Every day there
is another blow to the poor and middle class.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
DU AdBot (1000+ posts) Click to send private message to this author Click to view this author's profile Click to add this author to your buddy list Click to add this author to your Ignore list Sun May 12th 2024, 11:34 PM
Response to Original message
Advertisements [?]
 Top

Home » Discuss » Archives » General Discussion (1/22-2007 thru 12/14/2010) Donate to DU

Powered by DCForum+ Version 1.1 Copyright 1997-2002 DCScripts.com
Software has been extensively modified by the DU administrators

Important Notices: By participating on this discussion board, visitors agree to abide by the rules outlined on our Rules page. Messages posted on the Democratic Underground Discussion Forums are the opinions of the individuals who post them, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Democratic Underground, LLC.

Home  |  Discussion Forums  |  Journals |  Store  |  Donate

About DU  |  Contact Us  |  Privacy Policy

Got a message for Democratic Underground? Click here to send us a message.

© 2001 - 2011 Democratic Underground, LLC