Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, February 4, 1993 TAG: 9302040232
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BY BONNIE V. WINSTON STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
PANEL ENDORSES BILLS TO IMPROVE MINE SAFETY
The specter of the Southmountain mining disaster helped secure a House committee's endorsement Wednesday of bills to make it a felony to tamper with methane monitoring equipment or take smoking materials into mines.The House Mining and Mineral Resources Committee also backed a third bill, sponsored by a Southwest Virginia delegate and coal miner, that would classify all Virginia coal mines as "gassy."
The label would place the mines under a tougher inspection routine and require them to have equipment to detect and ventilate potentially explosive gases.
Southmountain Coal Co.'s No. 3 mine was designated "nongassy" by the state in September, less than three months before eight miners died in a Dec. 7 explosion. While a federal probe has not determined the cause of the fatal blast, several UMW officials said the state classification offered a false sense of security to workers.
Allegations that methane monitors in the mine had been tampered with and that smoking materials were found with the dead miners have surrounded the worst mining disaster in Virginia in more than 30 years.
The proposals, sponsored by Del. Clarence Phillips, D-St. Paul, would make it a felony, punishable by up to five years in prison and/or a fine up to $2,500, to intentionally tamper with a methane monitor.
The bill also would make it a misdemeanor, punishable by up to 12 months in jail and/or a fine up to $2,500, for a mine operator or foreman to send someone into a mine to work knowing that the methane monitor had been impaired or disconnected.
Del. Jackie Stump, D-Buchanan County, and Sam Church, Virginia Compac Coordinator for the UMW, applauded Gov. Douglas Wilder for backing the measures. Church said several miners cornered Wilder and asked for his support during a Democratic caucus reception Tuesday night.
Wilder, Church said, called committee Chairman Alson Smith, D-Winchester, to promise he would find money in the state's 1993-94 budget to hire four new mine inspectors and pay for job safety training at small mines.
The cost is about $500,000.
In other legislative action:
The Senate on Wednesday, after a partisan floor fight, gave preliminary approval to establish a joint subcommittee to study recommendations of Wilder's commission on campaign ethics.
Sen. Joseph Benedetti, R-Richmond, said he was concerned the study commission would become an excuse for not acting on the campaign ethics bills before the General Assembly.
Sen. Joseph Gartlan Jr., D-Fairfax County, said that because lawmakers were excluded from Wilder's commission, a study commission would give them a chance to look at the recommendations.
The House voted 59-40 to reject a proposed rule change that would require proportional representation by political party on standing committees.
Del. Andy Guest, R-Front Royal, said Republicans want to "share in the work, the responsibility and even the blame for what comes out of this legislature."
But House Majority Leader Richard Cranwell of Vinton said most significant issues are ultimately decided on the House floor, where everyone has a say.
The House General Laws Committee voted 10-8 to kill a bill that would have allowed a statewide referendum on riverboat gambling.
The Senate Courts of Justice Committee endorsed a bill that would establish a system of family courts to hear family-related cases now heard in Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court and Circuit Court.