Time to invade another country in the middle-east

W.Va. Gov. seeks coal mine safety checks
By LAWRENCE MESSINA
Associated Press

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Most of West Virginia's 544 coal mines are expected to follow a request from Gov. Joe Manchin to conduct safety checks before continuing operations, after two mine workers were killed in separate accidents on the same day.

An industry group that represents 80 percent of the state's coal producers said its members would comply.

"They were interrupting the shifts if they were in a working shift," said Bill Raney, president of the West Virginia Coal Association.

Spokeswoman Lara Ramsburg said Manchin does not have the authority to shut down mines that do not heed the safety check request, but she was unaware of any companies refusing to do so.

Both of Wednesday's accidents occurred in Boone County, about 50 miles south of the state capital. State mine safety officials said a bulldozer operator was killed at the Black Castle Surface Mine operated by Massey Energy Co. subsidiary Elk Run Coal Co. in Uneeda. An underground miner died after a wall support failed at Long Branch Energy's No. 18 Tunnel Mine in Wharton, officials said.

The accidents brought to 16 the number of mining-related deaths in West Virginia since Jan. 2, and the first at a surface operation. Only three mining-related fatalities occurred in 2005, a record low for the state.

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